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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28880514">Switched</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystFaerieDragon/pseuds/AmethystFaerieDragon'>AmethystFaerieDragon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Role Swap AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Until Dawn (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, Psychological Horror, Revenge, Role Swap AU, Self-Sacrifice, Suicide Attempt, like so much guilt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:49:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28880514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystFaerieDragon/pseuds/AmethystFaerieDragon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roles are swapped and changed. The story is mostly the same (with some select differences). </p><p>Eight friends return to Blackwood a year after a terrible prank caused Josh and Beth to run off into the woods never to be seen again. Things have changed since they were here last, some of them are trying to move on with their lives (perhaps too quickly) others are stuck in the past and are maybe out for revenge.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ashley Brown &amp; Emily Davis, Ashley Brown &amp; Sam Giddings, Ashley Brown/Chris Hartley, Chris Hartley &amp; Jessica Riley, Emily Davis &amp; Hannah Washington, Emily Davis &amp; Mike Munroe, Emily Davis/Sam Giddings, Matt Taylor/Hannah Washington, Mike Munroe/Jessica Riley, past Sam Giddings/Beth Washington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Role Swap AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, I've been hiding out in this fandom for the last few months and I finally got the balls to post something (yay...)</p><p>I hope you enjoy this mishmash of a Role Swap AU (is that even what it's called? I don't know)</p><p>I know I'm late, by like years but I wrote this for fun and thought, eh why not post it and see if people like it. So yeah, here.</p><p>This is the first fic I've finished so yeah.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Ashley; Lodge; 00:14</b>
</p><p>“Are you <em>sure</em> this is a good idea?” Ashley asks as Jessica places the note onto the kitchen counter. Jessica just smiles and pats her on the head condescendingly. Emily joins her. They both take a shoulder and look straight into Ashley’s eyes, she would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little intimidated. She had always been more comfortable in the company of the quieter and less dramatic of the group.</p><p>“Come on Ash! Are you really gonna let Josh steal your man? I mean, <em>Josh</em>?” asks Emily. Ashley shrugs, “I guess not… But Chris isn’t even gay.”</p><p>Both Emily and Jessica laugh. Ashley starts to feel really really stupid, has she seriously fallen in love with a gay guy? And if she has then why is she trying to take away his chance at love? It seems that Emily does in fact have an ounce of social awareness, “Hey, don’t worry Ash. Chris probably isn’t gay.”</p><p>“Yeah, well we said that about Sam,” laughs Jessica, she’s obviously drunk, “But, we all know how <em>that</em> turned out.”</p><p>The three of them turn to stare at Sam, who is sitting on a couch in the next room her arm over her girlfriend’s shoulder. The faint sound of laughter echoes around the room. Jessica and Ashley both turn away but does Emily’s eye linger slightly longer than the rest of them? No, it’s probably just Ashley imagination.</p><p>“Hey, don’t be rude about Sam,” chastises Emily, “We’re focusing on Josh here, okay?”</p><p>Jessica shrugs, “Yeah, of course.”</p><p> </p><p>It is then that Mike enters the room and joins the group, “What’re we talking about gurlllss?”</p><p>He puts his arm around Emily and kisses her right on the lips. She pushes him away a fake smile plastered on her face, “Awwww, gross Mike. Your breath tastes of beer.”</p><p>Mike laughs but he looks slightly irritated by Emily’s reaction. Jessica saves the conversation before it gets awkward, “We’re just setting up the prank, you know the one me and Em told you about?”</p><p>Both Emily’s and Mike’s faces relax.</p><p>“Oh, yeah, it’s gonna be great like, holeeeee shit,” says Mike a wide grin spreading across his face, “Don’t you think so Ash?”</p><p>Ashley shuffles uncomfortably but before she can say anything Mike continues, “I never thought you’d go for this to be honest, I always thought you were a little too up tight, Chris as well. I’m glad to see I was wrong.”</p><p>Emily slaps him lightly on the shoulder and they both laughs, evidently more comfortable in conflict. Ashley tries to smile, she’s gonna need a drink.</p><p> </p><p>It is then that the rest of the group fall into the room. Hannah and Matt are obviously the most hammered, it’s not surprising, neither has ever been able to hold their liquor. They stumble into seats still laughing. There are followed by the rather more calm Beth who walks straight past the others to look out the window. Last comes Sam, Josh and Chris, they are all slightly tipsy and look like they are having fun. Ashley watches as Jessica surreptitiously sits back on the counter, on top of the note as to avoid detection by any unwanted eyes. Sam goes around offering drinks most of which are accepted, Ashley has two before the group mostly retreats back to the living room. Ashley tries to enjoy herself but can’t help nervously checking the time every so often anticipating or dreading when the clock strikes two when they all will hide ready for the prank. It’s going to be funny, it’s supposed to be funny. She glances across the room at Chris, he is obviously just as anxious as she is.</p><p> </p><p>As time passes, the friends split off into groups and eventually almost entirely dissipate but Ashley knows it’s just a ruse, they all know where to be and at what time. That time comes and Ashley goes to the spare room, as she passes the kitchen she hears Sam’s concerned voice criticizing Emily and Jessica, Ashley tries not to let it put her off. She jumps when she feels a hand land on her shoulder, it’s Chris.</p><p>“Oh, hey hi, Chris,” she stutters. Chris tries to smile, “We’re doing the right thing right? This is going to be funny. I mean, I really don’t want to lead him on… He’s my best friend, my bro… You know?”</p><p>Ashley nods, she understands the gist of what he’s saying. He seems to appreciate her reassurance and they enter the room. Ashley hides behind a partition, Mike hides in the closet just next to her, phone in hand ready to film the reaction. Emily and Jessica giggle as they hide under the bed. Chris glances back at her just as the clock strikes two, she gives him a thumbs up.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Beth</b>
  <b>; </b>
  <b>Lodge</b>
  <b>; </b>
  <b>02:00</b>
</p><p>A sudden movement startles Beth. She leans closer to the window, trying to make out what made the noise, “Hey... Did you see that? Dad said it'd just be us this weekend. Josh?”</p><p>She turns around to look for her brother and is surprised to see the room is almost empty and the lights are off. How long has she been staring out the window for? Beth often gets lost in her thoughts but not usually to quite this extent, she must have drank more than she thought. The sight of Matt and Hannah lying across the kitchen counter makes Beth chuckle, “Out drank us again?”</p><p>It is then that she notices a discarded note sat on the counter, she picks it up hoping it’s an interesting love letter of some sort. She skims over the text quickly:</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Josh</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>You look so damn hot</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>In that shirt…</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>But I bet you’re even</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Hotter out of it</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Come to the guest room</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>At 2:00am :)</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Chris</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>XXX</b>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She knows immediately that it’s not Chris’ handwriting, no this is the work of one Jessica Riley. What the hell could she be planning? She doesn’t have time to find out, an embarrassed, upset yell can be heard throughout the lodge.</p><p>“Wait Josh!” that’s Chris.</p><p>“Hey, Josh, hey… It’s just…” that’s Sam.</p><p>“Fuck Chris?!” and that’s the hurt voice of her brother. Beth hears heavy footsteps rushing towards the door. She frantically looks around, there’s no point trying to wake Hannah, there’s no way she will budge. Beth grabs her jacket and takes off after them. The others are just slightly in front of her. She pushes through the small crowd who are watching Josh run off into the woods.</p><p>“Josh!” calls out Sam, panic in her voice. Beth looks back at her friend’s faces, Ashley and Chris are standing together both of them look ill, Emily has an unrepentant scowl on her face, “It was just a prank Josh!”</p><p>“What’s happening where’s my brother going?” Beth yells but she’s almost sure she know the answer already.</p><p>“<span><span>It’s fine Beth, we were just messing around,” says Mike. Beth glares at them, “You </span></span><em><span>JERKS</span></em><span><span>!”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>She takes off after Josh. She hears Sam call out after her but doesn’t turn. It’s not that she blames </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>her girlfriend</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>, she obviously wasn’t involved but could she’ve warned him or </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>something</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>? Ughhh… She tries to focus on running after Josh.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Josh! JOSH!” she calls out after him. Fuck! Why won’t he stop running? The terrain is rough but Beth is steady on her feet, she eventually catches up to Josh who is sat shivering in the snow. She runs over to him and puts her coat over his shoulders. It hardly fits but that doesn’t matter.</p><p>“Oh god, Josh, you must be freezing!” He tries to push her away put she doesn’t budge, “Come on, let’s get back to the lodge. We can kick those assholes’ butts.”</p><p>“Shit Beth, I’m such an idiot! Why did I? Ughhh,” Josh says.</p><p>“I know, I know, I’m really sorry Josh…” she says. They both suddenly freeze when they hear a screech. Josh looks at her, the fear in his eyes is real.</p><p>“Did you hear that?” he asks urgently. Beth nods and his face goes pale, “We have to run. NOW!”</p><p>Josh grabs her hand and they begin to run full pelt away from the sound and the lodge. The reach a bridge, Beth slips dropping her phone. She fumbles in the darkness trying to pick it up. Josh drags her back to her feet, “There’s no time!”</p><p>They keep running, Josh stops suddenly jerking Beth to a halt, “Shit, oh shit!”</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>They are standing at the edge of a cliff, whatever was chasing them is slowly inching closer and closer and closer. Beth feels Josh’s hand tighten it’s grip around hers. They both edge </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>backwards slowly, Beth feels her foot slip and she tumbles over the edge taking Josh with her. Josh manages to catch a branch growing out from the cliff face. Beth tries not to look down, fear like never before grips her entire body. She feels her hand slipping from Josh’s grasp, “Josh…”</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Hold on Beth, just hold on!” Josh yells but both of them know it is no good. A flash of fiery light blazes above them and Josh lets go.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 1: Loyalty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Matt; Path to Cable Car Station; 21:02</b>
</p><p>Matt steps off the bus and into the mountain air, it’s a strange feeling being back. He’s probably last, he usually is. He trudges up the path, shivering in the chill. He comes up to the massive gates of Blackwood Pines, a note is fastened to the front.</p><p>“<span>Dammit Chris!” says Matt, the gate’s busted. He looks up at the towering </span><span>wall in front of him and sighs. He’s never been much of a climber unlike Sam or Hannah. At least the moon’s out, light’s good. Matt clumsily grabs an overhanging stone and slowly and carefully pulls himself up the face. He almost loses his balance but manages to grab the top of the wall, catches his foot on a protruding slab and pushes himself to the top. He takes a second to catch his breath, climbing is harder than football, for him a least. </span><span>The view from the top is quite stunning though. He sits in the cold admiring the trees, their leaves saturated with heavy snow causing their branches to bend towards the ground, it looks like a winter wonderland. A rustle in the under brush below him causes him to slip and he falls down to the other side star</span><span>t</span><span>ling a squirrel. </span></p><p>“Shit! Ow…” he lies back, just his luck. The squirrel approaches him curiously, he waves it away as he gets to his feet brushing himself down. Heavy footsteps signify Chris’ approach.</p><p>“Hey Matt, you okay? I heard a yell,” says his friend with a smile. Matt slaps Chris’ hand and gives him a half hug, “Yeah, I’m all good. Just, damned wall.”</p><p>“<span>Oh, so, I found something, </span><em>kinda </em><span>amazing,” </span><span>announces Chris as they walk up the path together. </span></p><p>“<span><span>What?” asks Matt actually curious.</span></span></p><p>“I'm not gonna tell you. You have to see it for yourself. Come on, it's this way,” Chris leads him around the cable car station and to a small shooting range. Chris picks up a rifle and poses with it, a goofy grin on his face, “Soooo? What do you think?”</p><p>“Bet you can’t even shoot that thing,” Matt teases.</p><p>“Hey! I’ve played many a First Person Shooter, I think I can handle a simple rifle,” defends Chris. Matt smirks, “Let me show you how it’s done.”</p><p>Chris passes him the gun and Matt hits the targets with ease.</p><p>“Wow, nice shooting!” Chris says obviously trying to keep his admiration out of his voice, “But anyone can hit massive targets.”</p><p>“Alright, I’ll take your challenge,” Matt aims at a faraway sandbag but then the squirrel that had been bothering him earlier sits down on a stump. He smirks and shoots the animal, it’s tiny body is blown away by the blast leaving nothing but a bloody carcase and a small pile of acorns.</p><p>“<span><span>Bull’s eye!” Chris yells and they high five. </span></span><span><span>Their moment of excitement is cut short when a crow </span></span><span><span>swoops down on them </span></span><span><span>out of nowhere</span></span><span><span> scratching </span></span><span><span>Chris’ forehead. </span></span><span><span>He cries out batting the animal away.</span></span></p><p>“Oh damn! Are you okay?” asks Matt.</p><p>“<span><span>Ow, yeah, yeah. I’m fine, fine,” says Chris a little breathless </span></span><span><span>as he touches the small wound, “Just gave me a fright is all.”</span></span></p><p>Matt nods and looks around spotting the cable car approaching the station, “Look there, our ride is arriving. Let’s go.”</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Matt walks round the front of the station, Chris just behind him. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Chris</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> tries the door and finds it locked. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Matt</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> taps his shoulder with the key, “</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Hannah wanted it kept locked, apparently there were people sleeping in the station one time.”</span>
  </span>
</p><p>He unlocks the door and they both walk in out of the cold. Matt locks the door behind them.</p><p>“How has Hannah been? I feel like I haven’t seen anyone in ages,” says Chris. Matt scratches the back of his head awkwardly, “Yeah, she’s alright. Hanging in there. It’s just been… She’s taken it really, really hard.”</p><p>“Yeah… I don’t know how she keeps it together. I’m glad she has you and, and Sam y’know? People to look out for her,” Chris says. Matt pats him on the back, “I know Josh was your friend, your best friend. You’re allowed to be a wreck, the rest of us are.”</p><p>Chris nods and walks away to take a look around the station. Matt looks out over the mountain scenery, he’s been up here a lot since Josh and Beth went missing. Mostly with Hannah, sometimes with the whole Washington family and Sam. It feels almost like home at this point, in a strange morbid way.</p><p>“<span><span>What a </span></span><em><span>crazy</span></em><span><span>place to set up house. No matter how rich you are,” comments Chris from the next room.</span></span></p><p>“Yeah, I think they know that now,” says Matt, “You coming? Our ride’s here.”</p><p>Matt climbs into the old cable car followed by Chris. They sit down together and Chris stares outside.</p><p>“I hope this is the right things to do…” he says.</p><p>“What do you mean?” asks Matt.</p><p>“I mean, getting everyone together and on the anniversary… It seems a little, I don’t know.”</p><p>“<span><span>Hannah really needed something, it was </span></span><em><span>her</span></em><span><span> idea and I think she gets to call the shots. She’s really really excited about it, got something great planned and I mean everyone’s coming aren’t they?”</span></span></p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I guess…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Sam; Upper Cable Car Station; 21:17</b>
</p><p>Sam is leaning on a fence looking out at the valley below, holding her phone loosely in her hand. She spots the cable car coming into the station and opens the door for Chris and Matt.</p><p>“Hey Sam, what’re you doing here?” asks Chris as he walks out.</p><p>“The doors been acting up and I thought it would be mean to leave you stuck in there,” she says.</p><p>“Well I thank you, my lady,” Chris says with a small bow which makes Sam laugh. While she is distracted, Chris grabs the phone from Sam’s hand.</p><p>“Heyyyy! Chris!” she says annoyed as he holds it above her head, “Give it back!”</p><p>“I forgot how tiny you were Sammy,” teases Chris, he looks at the screen, “Oooh look at this.”</p><p>He shows the phone to Matt, “It seems that Samantha here has a lil’ crush on teacher.”</p><p>Embarrassment begins to build in Sam and she says indignantly, “She just helps me study.”</p><p>“From half way across the country?”</p><p>“Give it back!” Sam blushes.</p><p>Chris complies, “I was just kidding Sam, but you know you can tell us anything. We <em>are</em> your friends after all.”</p><p>Sam snorts at him good-naturedly, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough.”</p><p>Chris glances at Matt who shrugs.</p><p>“Anyway boys, I’m heading up to the lodge. I want to, uhhhh, catch up with someone,” says Sam.</p><p>“You mean Emily?” Matt teases and Sam punches him lightly before walking away from him and Chris who are laughing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jessica; Washington Lodge Grounds; 21:24</b>
</p><p>“Seriously, couldn't they have built the lodge, like, right where the cable car ends?” asks Emily annoyed and shivering. Jessica laughs at her friend’s bad temper, “Relax Em, it’s going to be fine!”</p><p>“Who said I wasn’t fine?” snaps Emily not making eye contact, “It’s just a little creepy being back you know?”</p><p>Jessica nods, she knows exactly what she means. It may have been a year but the guilt from the prank is still fresh in her mind. It was all her idea and she and Emily had really pressured Ashley into going through with it. If they feel guilty, Jessica can’t even imagine how fucked Ashley is. Suddenly something jumps out at them from the woods. Both Jessica and Emily scream and Jess grabs Emily’s arm. It takes Jessica a second to regain her composure, clearly it took Emily less time.</p><p>“MICHAEL!” she screeches and full on slaps her ex-boyfriend in the face. He does seem to care as he keeps laughing, “You should have <em>seen</em> your faces! Priceless! I mean, who knew Emily Davis had such a cute scream?”</p><p>“Mike? Really?” asks Jessica.</p><p>“Come on! We’re all friends here, right Em?” Emily growls and rolls her eyes, Mike continues, “No need for all this quarrelling, I was just having some fun.”</p><p>“Yeah, this is going to be so fun,” says Emily sarcastically. Mike looks desperately to Jessica for some assistance, he’s obviously actually trying to make things less awkward.</p><p>“Oh come on Em. Don’t be like that, we can still have a good time,” says Jessica. Emily glares at her and Jessica cringes.</p><p>“I should have known you would side with <em>him</em><span>,” says Emily clearly hurt. </span></p><p>“Em…”</p><p>“<span>No, no it’s fine. I get it, you think you’re in love. I thought I was in love to. I just can’t deal with this right now,” Emily begins to walk away. Mike goes to say something, Jessica tries to stop him but she’s to late, “</span><span>I was kinda hoping we could all move past this Emily but I guess you just have to make this weird. But you just thrive off other people’s embarrassment, don’t you?” </span></p><p>“And what’s that supposed to mean?” yells Emily.</p><p>“<span>Oh you think it’s not embarrassing when your girlfriend announces </span><span>she’s a lesbian</span><span> at </span><span>a big party</span> <span>that you’re hosting </span><span>isn’t embarrassing?” </span><span>roars Mike. Jessica puts her hand on Mike’s chest trying to calm him down. </span></p><p>“<span>You have no right…” Jessica sees hot tears forming in Emily’s eyes. Mike really know</span><span>s</span><span> how to push her buttons.</span></p><p>“<span>Oh? </span><em>I</em><span> have no right…”</span></p><p>“Mike,” says Jessica softly. He looks down at her, “No, you can’t protect her! She’s totally out of line!”</p><p>Emily scoffs loudly.</p><p>“Michael!” says Jessica more urgently and Mike finally relaxes back giving Emily a glare before turning away.</p><p>“<span>Fuck you,” says Emily as she disappears up the path. Mike lets out a long breath. Jessica feels herself relax.</span></p><p>“Was that really necessary Mike?”</p><p>“What? She deserved it, nothing I said wasn’t true.”</p><p>“I know, I know… She’s just having quite a hard time right now.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. I’m sure dating Sam is so hard,” Mike says rolling his eyes, he then sees the look on Jessica’s face and realises what he just said. He tries to backtrack, “Well, y’know… Sam is a very conventionally attractive and she’s, uhhhh, nice… Plus, you know I have a thing for blondes.”</p><p>Mike slowly runs his hand through Jessica’s hair making her giggle, “Nice save Munroe.”</p><p>He smiles and presses his lips against hers, they send a welcome warmth through her body, “Wow. Save some for later, buddy.”</p><p>“Endless reserves,” Mike chuckles. Jessica pushes her boyfriend playfully, “I’m gonna head up to the lodge, I’m sure you want to go find your boyfriends.”</p><p>Mike looks a little embarrassed, he’s so cute when he’s like this.</p><p>“Go! Shoo! Scram!” encourages Jessica. Mike gives her a grateful smile and places another quick kiss on her lips, “You’re the best.”</p><p>Jessica watches him as he slides down the icy path, he tries to keep his balance while looking cool but he slips and almost falls. Jessica laughs out loud, he puts on a cool guy persona for his friends but he’s really just a big softy, what a dork.</p><p> </p><p><a id="Ashley.3B_Washington_Lodge_Grounds.3B_21:32" name="Ashley.3B_Washington_Lodge_Grounds.3B_21:32"></a> <b>Ashley; Washington Lodge Grounds; 21:32</b></p><p>Ashley wasn’t trying to spy on her friends, really she wasn’t, it just kinda happened. She watches everything, Chris and Matt coming up in the cable car, them winding up Sam, the argument between Emily and Mike and now this, probably the most interesting of all: Mike meets Sam half way up the path and… Are they flirting?</p><p>“<span>God why are there people everywhere?” asks a loud voice behind her. Ashley jumps away from the </span><span>binoculars </span><span>and turns to see Emily</span><span><span>.</span></span></p><p>“Oh God! God!” she exclaims and a small smile crosses Emily’s previously angry face, “It’s nice to see you Ash.”</p><p>“<span><span>Emily! Jeez…” Ashley relaxes. Her feelings on Emily are a little conflicted, on the one hand she hates her and she blames her for what happened last year more than anyone else, even though she knows it’s not fair. On the other hand, they’ve actually become quite close friends since Emily started dating Sam. </span></span></p><p>“<span>What’re you doing up here anyway? See anything interesting?” Emily asks. Ashley hesitates, “I, you know… Just enjoying the view.”</span></p><p>“Yeah, sure. Come on, I know you better than that Ashley. What did you see? Matt making out with Chris?”</p><p>Emily basically shoves her out of the way to take a look. She tries to stop her, “Hey, Em, maybe that’s not such a good idea…?”</p><p>Emily looks up at her, “Oh my god, you really did see something! I have got to…”</p><p>
  <span>She looks through the lens before Ashley can try a second attempt at stopping her. Emily’s normal bitchy confident aura fades as she goes silent and draws away from the </span>
  <span>
    <span>binoculars. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Emily looks distraught, Ashley had been prepared for anger or even tears but not this.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“He’s. What? But. No… Shit. That dick! Fuck…”</p><p>
  <span>Ashley rushes to comfort Emily, “It’s okay Em… It’s Sam, you know she wouldn’t. She’s like that with everyone… </span>
  <span>I don’t think she even realises it.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>“<span>Yeah? Well… He’s not,” Emily stutters forcefully. </span><span>Ashley puts her arm around Emily and to her surprise the other girl doesn’t push her away, “What should I tell Jess?”</span></p><p>That was not what Ashley was expecting. It does make sense though, Jessica is Emily’s best friend so it’s obvious that she would be worried about the fidelity of her boyfriend.</p><p>“<span>And… I know Sam wouldn’t… But what i</span><span>f</span><span> she wants to? I mean, I’m not exactly experienced. And she kinda is and I don’t know… What should I do?” Emily continues. Ashley’s head is swimming, how is </span><em><span>she</span></em><span> supposed to comfort </span><em><span>Emily</span></em><span>?</span></p><p>“She totally devoted to you, she’s in love,” says Ashley.</p><p>“Really? I mean, last year she was in love with Beth… And, and…”</p><p>
  <span>Who knew Emily Davis was so insecure. It’s not surprising, </span>
  <span>often a lack of confidence manifests itself as overconfidence. </span>
</p><p>“<span>No, no. Don’t do that to yourself Emily. You don’t deserve it,” says Ashley but she feels extremely uncomfortable at the mention of the youngest Washington. </span><span>Emily notices Ashley’s discomfort and pulls away hastily. </span></p><p>“We should be getting to the lodge, it’s fucking freezing out here,” says Emily, instantly hiding her small breakdown.</p><p>“Yeah, sure,” Ashley follows Emily down the short path to the lodge. All the time she is worrying about what drama is going to be stirred up when Mike arrives, she tries not to think about it. Maybe Emily will decide to take the high road? Yeah, right.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Mike; Washington Lodge Grounds; 21:41</b>
</p><p>Mike crushes the snow into a tight ball, it’s freezing but it’s worth it. He can see the top of Chris’ head as he and Matt walk leisurely up the path. What is taking them so long? He stays crouched in his hiding place until he has a clear shot, then wham! The snowball flies past Chris’ head and smashes to the ground behind him.</p><p>“Ahh shit!” Mike hears Chris exclaim, “Man. What the fuck?”</p><p>Mike laughs as he comes out of hiding only to be assaulted by Matt. Snow gets everywhere, in his hair, down his coat.</p><p>“Gotta try harder than that Matthew!” he yells as he grabs a new clump of snow. Matt jumps behind a tree just as the snowball goes flying towards him. Mike dives out of the way and Chris throws one at him kicking up a smoke screen of snow.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that’s cheating Mike!” calls out Chris who is now covered in the cold powder.</p><p>“Are you scared Chris? Without the protection of your rules?” Mike teases, but while he is distracted Matt shoves snow down his back sending a chill down his spine.</p><p>“Ahhh! Fuck you! That’s dirty, that’s dirty,” he pants trying to get the snow out of his clothes. He can already feel it melting against his skin.</p><p>“Are you scared Mikey?” mocks Chris good-naturedly. Mike smirks and Matt laughs at him.</p><p>“You were ganging up on me!” defends Mike.</p><p>“You started it!” says Chris, “That first one you threw? Twas pretty much just a hunk of ice.”</p><p>Mike laughs haughtily as the three of them catch their breath and continue the trek up to the lodge.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry about all the dialogue, I should probably work on making my writing less speaky... It's all down hill from here for our Blackwood gang!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 2: Lust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Sam; Washington Lodge Grounds; 21:48</b>
</p>
<p>Sam loves nature, truly there is nothing that fills her with more joy than the clear crisp air of the mountains or the sound of undisturbed birdsong. That’s when she spots Emily walking down the ranger’s path with Ashley, it feels like someone stole the air from her lungs and magnified all her senses at once. It’s overwhelming and something Sam has never felt before. It’s not the first time that she feels guilty about that, she did love Beth… She did. Or so she tells herself. Whatever, it was nothing like this. They haven’t actually been dating long, maybe this feeling will fade. She remembers clearly when Emily came out at that party. It was brutal, to Mike anyway but she it was guiltily amazing for her. After then, it was months before Sam considered asking her friend out. To her surprise it was Emily who made the first move and since then they had been ‘dating’ in secret from the rest of their friends though news leaked out quite quickly. The problem was they went to separate colleges before they had gotten a feel for their relationship and suddenly it was all over text and video calls. This is the first time they are seeing each other since then and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous.</p>
<p>“Hey Sam, stare much?” it’s Hannah. Sam up at her friend as she ruffles her hair, it’s never bothered her much that everyone is taller than her but sometimes it can be slightly irritating.</p>
<p>“Hannah!” Sam flings her arms around her, “It’s been forever!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, like two weeks. You’re pathetic Samantha,” says Hannah but Sam can see the twinkle in her eye, “Alright, let’s get up to the lodge. I’m sure everyone’s freezing.”</p>
<p>Sam nods, eager to see Emily.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah and by the way Sam?” says Hannah.</p>
<p>“Huh?” Sam replies.</p>
<p>“Don’t be so nervous, it’s all gonna be fine,” Hannah says with a smile. Of course she knows, Hannah can read her like an open book, “Yeah…”</p>
<p>She squeezes Sam’s shoulders and they start the short walk up to the lodge. When they arrive, they see Jessica is already sitting on the steps leading up to the lodge, “Hannah! Thank god, it is fucking freezing out here! You do have the key right?”</p>
<p>“Nice to see you to Jess,” laughs Hannah, “And yes, they are right here.”</p>
<p>She jangles the keys and walks up the stairs Jess in tow leaving Sam behind to wait for Emily and Ashley. Her heart is beating in her chest and the palms of her hands are sweaty despite the cold. When Emily and Ashley finally appear from the woods Ashley calls out, “Hey Sam!”</p>
<p>Sam is frozen in place, she can’t say a word. Obviously, Emily isn’t as affected as she is. She’s is gorgeous as always, she sways her hips as she walks confidently just in front of Ashley making her seem almost superior.</p>
<p>“Oh, hey Sam. Has Hannah got the door open yet? I’m already sick of the snow,” Emily says as she walks past her and up the stairs. She’s confused and upset by Emily’s lukewarm response. She fights tears as she follows her with her eyes. Hannah quickly comes to her rescue, “Fuck, the door’s iced shut. You guys wait here while <em>Sam</em> and I go find another way in.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Emily; Washington Lodge Grounds; 22:00</b>
</p>
<p>Shit, shit shit shit… This is not how this was supposed to go. She fucked up and Hannah feels the need to rescue Sam. That’s bad, shit shit shit.</p>
<p>“Hey Hannah wait,” she says quickly. What’s she doing? She doesn’t have a plan. Hannah is giving her glare that could have rivalled Beth’s.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” she says weakly.</p>
<p>“Well don’t be sorry to me,” says Hannah, “Maybe be sorry to Sam? She literally looks like she wouldn’t care if a bus hit her.”</p>
<p>Hannah has always had a strange but effective way of putting things. Emily glances around and sure enough Sam looks like hell. Ashley is trying to comfort her using a mixture of smiles and confused glances.</p>
<p>“Go on! Go to her,” urges Hannah, Jessica backs her up with a meaningfullook. Emily takes a breath and walks down to Sam. She is relieved when she doesn’t pull away from her.</p>
<p>“We’ll get the door!” yells Ashley after them as Emily leads Sam a short way away. Once they are out of earshot of the others Sam aggressively turns to her, “What’s your deal?”</p>
<p>“Wait what?” Emily did not expect this. Sam smiles that kind of upset smile that people put on when they are trying to cheer themselves up or see the bright side but just can’t, “Why did I think I would be different?”</p>
<p>“Sam? What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“I saw your relationship with Mike, I saw you flirt with Matt and I saw every relationship you had prior to that and they were all fucking awful. Why did I think I would be any different? Because I’m a woman? God I’m so stupid,” says Sam, “But I will not be pushed around like everyone else. I’ve never let you get to me before I’m not going to let you now!”</p>
<p>Sam tries to walk away.</p>
<p>“Sam wait!” Emily calls.</p>
<p>“What!?” she turns around furiously.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I’m sorry okay? But you’re kinda the one going ape shit on me here,” says Emily truthfully.</p>
<p>“Wuh-what? I’ve been counting down the days until today, the day that I got to come and see you. Why do you think I’m up this godforsaken mountain in the first place? I wasn’t even gonna come, not even for Hannah, until <b>you</b> asked me. <b>You</b>. And all I get is ‘Hey Sam I hate the weather’?”</p>
<p>“That’s not fair and you know it. I wasn’t the one frozen like a fucking ice sculpture! How was I supposed to know what you wanted from me? Fuck I don’t even know what you want from me now!”</p>
<p>“That’s exactly the problem isn’t it?” Sam says as she storms off. Emily decides not to stop her, there’s obviously no point. Who knew Sam was such an insufferable bitch?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Ashley; Washington Lodge; 22:03</b>
</p>
<p>Ashley can’t help but try to listen in to Sam and Emily’s conversation. She’s curious and having knowledge is what makes her a useful friend. She knows fine well that she is going to be the one to pick up the pieces of whatever this is. Sure Hannah is Sam’s best friend and Jessica is Emily’s but Ashley finds herself in the situation that she is friends with both of them. Sure she was friends with Sam first but she’s still closer to Emily than most people think. The more she knows the better she can help, or at least that’s what she tells herself.</p>
<p>“Oi! Nosy Nancy!” Ashley turns to see Hannah approaching, “I think you’ve had enough attempted eavesdropping.”</p>
<p>Ashley has the good sense to look embarrassed.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about Sam, she’ll be fine,” Hannah says awkwardly, it sounds like an empty attempt at comfort rather than a comment of insight.</p>
<p>“Oh no, I know, I know. I’m more worried about Emily,” she says honestly. Hannah looks a little surprised, Ashley attempts to elaborate without spilling too many of Emily’s secrets, “Well, y’know, Sam is a little more, uhhh, tough than Emily’s usual type. More likely to actually stand up for herself and less blind to Emily’s shortcomings.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well, they probably will want to be able to come back to a nice warm lodge,” Hannah says changing the subject swiftly. She obviously isn’t particularly comfortable with talking about Sam and Emily.</p>
<p>“Yeah, right.”</p>
<p>“Sooooo, have you seen Chris yet?” asks Hannah, her tone is playful, this is much more her topic.</p>
<p>“Well I mean, sorta…”</p>
<p>“What do you mean ‘sorta’?”</p>
<p>“I accidentally saw him and Matt through the binoculars,” she says embarrassed.</p>
<p>“‘Accidentally’” teases Hannah and Ashley blushes, “So are you going to make a move?”</p>
<p>“A move?” asks Ashley, her stomach doing backflips.</p>
<p>“On Chris,” says Hannah simply.</p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think,” stutters Ashley.</p>
<p>“Come on Ash! The guy is all over you. You so much as touch him and you can almost see the lust growing in his eyes,” says Hannah. Ashley goes bright red, “No, I don’t think… Chris is a perfect gentleman!”</p>
<p>She feels a little sick. She really wants Chris, she loves Chris but she never thought that he could like her back, they’re just friends. Right? But if what Hannah says is true…</p>
<p>“Calm down Ash! I’m exaggerating the fact a little but only a little. I’m telling you, Chris adores you. Just go for it already!”</p>
<p>Ashley hesitates, she really does want to be with Chris but in truth anytime that she thinks about it all the memories from the previous year’s incident come flooding back. It was because of her crush on Chris and her possessive behaviour that the prank happened at all. She has spent a lot of time trying to lay the blame on Emily or Jessica but she knows that she could have put a stop to it and she didn’t.</p>
<p>“Whatever, let’s just get going alright?” says Ashley. Hannah nods not pushing any further. They come to a loose window.</p>
<p>“Do you think you could boost me up?” asks Ashley, “I think I can crawl in.”</p>
<p>Hannah nods and helps Ashley up. It’s harder than she expects to get it open and Hannah isn’t exactly the strongest person so she wobbles slightly from side to side. Eventually she manages and ends up toppling in.</p>
<p>“Ash! Are you okay?” she hears Hannah call from outside. Ashley looks up at the window, she didn’t think it would be so high up, “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just a little bruised.”</p>
<p>“I’m gonna throw you a lighter, you can use it unfreeze the lock.”</p>
<p>“Oh no, don’t worry about it. I got my own,” says Ashley. She can hear Hannah smirking, “Now why would our good friend Ashley own a lighter?”</p>
<p>“Uh huh and why would our good friend <em>Hannah</em> own a lighter?” asks Ashley right back. There is a short pause.</p>
<p>“It was Josh’s,” Hannah says simply and Ashley feel a pang of guilt, “Anyway, I’m glad you’ve got your own. Now go go go!”</p>
<p>Ashley reluctantly begins to explore the dark lodge, god it gives her the creeps. She doesn’t recognise the room she is in, perhaps it’s one of the rooms that was always locked on her previous visits, looks like a storage room. It smells kinda musty and gross, she doesn’t stay in there longer than she has to quickly hurrying to the door. She comes out into a much more familiar looking corridor and instantly feels more comfortable. That feeling of comfort is instantly snuffed out as she notices the cold dead eyes of the Washington family staring down upon her from their place in the family portrait. She averts her gaze, “I’m sorry Josh, Beth…”</p>
<p>She exits the corridor into the lodge proper and hears Jessica knocking on the door, “Hey Ash! Hurry, hurry, we’re freezing!”</p>
<p>Ashley starts to melt the ice around the lock with the lighter and eventually gets it open. Hannah, Jessica and the boys enter the lodge followed quickly by a furious Sam who announces she’s going to have a bath and that no one is to interrupt her before storming off without another word.</p>
<p>“What’s up with her,” asks Chris actually concerned. Mike shrugs his shoulders as he sits down on a couch next to Jessica, “That’s just happens. Dating Emily changes you. I’m a survivor.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be a dick Mike,” says Hannah with a sigh as she starts on a fire, Ashley crouches down to help her.</p>
<p>“Mike’s being a dick? Why am I not surprised,” says a curt, superior voice, Emily.</p>
<p>“Wait Emily and Sam are dating?” Ashley hears Matt whisper to Chris. Chris shrugs, man they’re so clueless.</p>
<p>“Welcome, your majesty,” Mike says mockingly to Emily with a brief bow of his head.</p>
<p>“Mike…” says Jessica warningly.</p>
<p>“No, Jess, shut up. You’ll see soon enough that your man is a whore,” says Emily matter of factly. Jessica looks like she wants to say something but she stops herself, good for her.</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” asks Mike.</p>
<p>“I saw you making moves on my girl and if you dare lay a finger on her I will end you,” threatens Emily. Mike actually laughs, “Your girl? I’m sure Sam would be surprised to hear you say that. Seems your relationship has fallen at the first hurdle. You know the one where you can have a conversation without wanting to kill each other. A little early, even for you.”</p>
<p>“ENOUGH!” shouts Hannah putting a stop to the argument, “This is not why we came up here. We just need a little time out. Jess, Mike? Do you want to go up to the guest cabin? I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy yourself. We’ll see you later, once everyone has cooled down a little.”</p>
<p>Jessica smiles at her gratefully and tugs Mike to his feet. Hannah tosses Mike a key. As they are leaving, Jessica throws Emily an encouraging glance which seems to calm her slightly.</p>
<p>“I’m- I’m gonna go out. Just for a bit… cool off,” she says and leaves before anyone can stop her. Matt relaxes down into the couch and mimics his head exploding, “Phew, I’m glad that’s over.”</p>
<p>Ashley nods in agreement as she settles in front of the now lit fire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a id="Mike.3B_Washington_Lodge_Grounds.3B_22:43" name="Mike.3B_Washington_Lodge_Grounds.3B_22:43"></a> <b>Mike; Washington Lodge Grounds; 22:43</b></p>
<p>Exiled from the heat of the lodge already? Damn, that didn’t take long. Fucking Emily. Mike notices that Jessica is getting away from him and jogs to catch up.</p>
<p>“Jesus, it’s cold out here,” he says. Jessica doesn’t reply, she doesn’t even look at him, “Oh god are you mad? Please don’t tell me you’re mad.”</p>
<p>“I’m not mad Mike. I just think you could have handled that with a little more courtesy,” she says quickly.</p>
<p>“Really Jess? I should have known you would side with Emily.”</p>
<p>“I’m not siding with anyone, I love you both. If I was talking to her right now I would be saying the exact same thing.”</p>
<p>That relaxes Mike a little, he knows she isn’t just saying that to make him feel better. Jessica is amazing, he does admire the way she manges to look past people’s obvious shortcomings, “Alright, alright, maybe I acted a little out of order.”</p>
<p>Jessica smiles and rests her hand on his chest, “We don’t have to think about her right now. Tonight is about us.”</p>
<p>She winks and walks on ahead. If he’s honest with himself, he only hooked up with Jess to get back at Emily but as the dust settled, he found himself actually drawn to her. She’s sassy, she’s not too bright and best of all she’s not gay. Why are all the girls he likes gay?</p>
<p>“Miiiiiike! Mikey! The gate’s locked,” calls Jessica.</p>
<p>“Huh, I guess it needs some juice or something,” he says, “Isn’t the generator around here? Maybe Hannah forgot to turn it on.”</p>
<p>“Turn on?” asks Jess chuckling, “Are you flirting with me Mike?”</p>
<p>He wasn’t, but it’s nice to know that Jess will take words out of an unrelated sentence and make them sound dirty, makes actually flirting ten times easier, “Hmmmmm, maybe I was. What you gonna do about it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, there’s a lot I could do about it but first we need to get that generator going. The cabin awaits!”</p>
<p>Jessica leads the way to the small generator shed and Mike pulls a switch activating the power. Jess claps her hands and the two of them make their way out of the grounds. The path is rough but it’s nice being away from everything with just Jess. He puts his arm around her, she’s so warm and comfortable.</p>
<p>“Look Mike,” her voice is almost a whisper. He pulls himself from his thoughts and sees what his girlfriend is staring at, “Police tape…”</p>
<p>“From Beth and Josh? Why is that still here?” she asks fearfully.</p>
<p>“Well, they never closed the investigation…” he replies. Jessica shudders, “I still can’t believe… What do you remember? It’s all such a blur.”</p>
<p>Mike hesitates, he was hardly more than a bystander in the prank. Having said that, he was the one who filmed the entire thing, he had wanted to delete it, he tried to delete it. The police had a copy, why would he need it? But he couldn’t, so it stayed there on his phone as a horrific reminder of their terrible mistake.</p>
<p>“It- it was an accident. How were we supposed to know they would run off into the woods?”</p>
<p>Jessica nods hesitantly, “Yeah, yeah… Let’s just keep going alright? This place is giving me the creeps.”</p>
<p>She takes his hand and they carry on at a faster pace than before. They keep going like that for a few minutes until they come across a large tree blocking the path.</p>
<p>“God damn. Why? Why does this happen to us?” complains Jessica, “There’s no way we’re going back to the lodge, you could cut the tension in there with a knife.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright, we’re adventurous. We can find another way round,” says Mike as he begins to venture off the path. Jessica follows just behind him nervously. He presses on. Fuck, mistake. He slips and falls down a small ledge.</p>
<p>“Mike!” cries Jessica. He can see her head looking over the edge.</p>
<p>“I’m alright, I’m fine,” he calls back to her. He looks around, he seems to be in a small mine. Who knew this was here? It’s really dark.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I can climb out,” he admits, “I’m gonna have to find another way round.”</p>
<p>“You can’t leave me here!” says Jessica.</p>
<p>“Uhhhh, well you could come down here. I’ll catch you,” he says. Jessica hesitates but agrees. She jumps and he easily catches her, she’s light as a feather.</p>
<p>“Ooooh,” she exclaims as she hold his arm in her hand. He can feel her blush and he smiles as he puts her down on the ground. There’s a mine cart blocking their path but they manage to move it out the way with relative ease, exchanging flirty comments as they do. Mike can see that Jessica is still nervous and he holds her hand tightly trying to comfort her. She snuggles up to him, putting her head on his shoulder. It’s an awkward way to walk but it very endearing. It doesn’t take them long to find an exit, they pass a few strange things on the way but Mike doesn’t take any time to look at them, their nerves are shot as is. They are both happy to see the bright moon again.</p>
<p>“Hey, let’s hurry. I’m getting really cold,” says Jessica.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I’ll warm you up.”</p>
<p>Jessica smiles and they continue their walk hand in hand. If this place wasn’t so damn creepy it would almost be romantic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a id="Sam.3B_Washington_Lodge.3B_22:44" name="Sam.3B_Washington_Lodge.3B_22:44"></a> <b>Sam; Washington Lodge; 22:44</b></p>
<p>Sam sits with her back to the door of the bathroom her head in her hands and ugly tears running down her face. She feels so stupid. She’s been excited for this weekend, so excited and she had a certain expectation about how people would act. Oh who is she kidding? She had a certain expectation about how <em>Emily</em> would act. She expected her to be just as nervous as her and she definitely didn’t expect her to totally brush their relationship aside. But it’s Emily Davis. That’s just how she is. Maybe she was just messing with her all along. That’s when someone knocks on the door and the anger returns.</p>
<p>“Go away I don’t want to talk to you!” she yells, thinking it’s Emily.</p>
<p>“It’s Ashley,” says Ashley though the door.</p>
<p>“Oh,” says Sam as she gets to her feet and opens the door, “Hey Ash.”</p>
<p>Ashley looks a little surprised by the lack of bath, “Uhh, Hannah was worried you would be missing the hot water but I guess not.”</p>
<p>“I’d prefer a cold shower,” muses Sam, without thinking. Ashley looks at her, the beginnings of amusement spreading across her face, “Alright, we are gonna have to talk about this. I’m not letting the two of you stew in this.”</p>
<p>Sam groans but Ashley won’t take no for answer, “Come on, let’s get the hot water going and we can talk.”</p>
<p>Ashley leads Sam down into the basement, “How do you know your way down here? I don’t think I’ve ever been.”</p>
<p>Ashley actually blushes, “Sometimes, I just needed to hide and get away from stuff y’know and Josh said I could come down here so long as I didn’t set the place on fire or leave a mess.”</p>
<p>Of course Sam knows that Ashley has anxiety issues in the past but she never knew it was so recent.</p>
<p>“You okay?” she asks, legitimately concerned. Ashley nods, “I am now. Anyway, this is about you and Em.”</p>
<p>Sam’s shoulders tense, “You know, I really don’t want…”</p>
<p>“She was a total mess earlier,” Ashley interrupts. Sam stops talking allowing Ashley to speak, “I talked to her up at the viewpoint. She was devastated when she saw you with Mike.”</p>
<p>“Mike?” Sam asks, she had totally forgotten about her talk with Mike.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Mike. She’s worried that she’s not good enough for you and that you would rather be with someone with more experience, whatever that means,” Ashley says bluntly. Sam doesn’t know what to say, she’s confused.</p>
<p>“Why are you telling me this?” she asks, “I’m sure Em would kill you.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure she would, but it’s totally worth it if it allows you to understand that she is totally crazy about you.”</p>
<p>Sam thinks about this for a second. She was such a dick to her as well. Fuck. It must show on her face.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it Sam, she’ll get over it. Plus she was pretty out of line as well so at least you have that in common,” says Ashley.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Sam exclaims but she isn’t really mad. Their conversation moves away from her relationship as they get the boiler going.</p>
<p>“Did you really come down here on your own? It’s so creepy,” says Sam.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you get used to it. Plus Josh was watching out for me in case…” she doesn’t continue. Sam doesn’t push it. The basement seems to grumble and growl whenever they move. Sam notices a baseball bat leaning against the wall, “Do you think the Washingtons played baseball out in the snow?”</p>
<p>Ashley laughs, “Can you imagine Mrs Washington running to catch the ball?”</p>
<p>Sam smiles but their glee is short lived as they hear a crash making them both jump. Ashley looks white as a sheet.</p>
<p>“Please tell me that is a normal basement noise,” Sam says. Ashley shakes her head, “It’s weirdly regular…”</p>
<p>Sam and Ashley stand in silence for another few seconds listening to the sound before Sam decides she’s going to check it out. She begins to walk towards the source of the sound, Ashley holds her shoulder following close behind. Sam can feel her fist clench. Suddenly a man in a mask jumps out at them and they both scream. Sam shoves Ashley ahead of her and knocks some wooden planks in front of their pursuer. Sam sees Ashley reach a door, she yanks on the handle but it won’t budge. The man is coming closer and closer.</p>
<p>“Why is this door locked?” sobs Ashley. The man gets closer and Sam stands in front of a now cowering Ashley, fear in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Hey…” says the figure.</p>
<p>“...What?” gasps Sam.</p>
<p>“Heeeyyyyyyyy…”</p>
<p>“…WHAT THE HELL?!” says Sam as the man removes the mask to reveal Chris. He has a large goofy grin on his face, “Awww, Sam. You’re such a <span>mom</span> friend. What were you going to do if I was actually an intruder?”</p>
<p>“What the fuck Chris! Why are you even down here?” asks Sam as she helps the still trembling Ashley to her feet.</p>
<p>“I was looking for the old spirit board for Hannah. Damn, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you that bad,” he says mostly to Ashley. Sam sighs, “We should get going, the hot water’s on and my bath awaits.”</p>
<p>The three of them climb from the basement, Ashley finally seems to be calming down a little. “Okay, okay. I’ll admit, your dumb little prank was a bit funny,” she says.</p>
<p>“Heck yeah it was, look at all that cool old <span>movie</span> crap!” Chris raises his hand triumphantly, “And best of all I managed to scare Samantha Giddings!”</p>
<p>“<span>I was not scared,” says Sam sulkily. </span><span>Chris and Ashley laugh a little behind her as she begins to climb the stairs back up to the bathroom. </span><span>Ashley</span><span> invite</span><span>s</span><span> her to join them in their </span>séance but she refuses.</p>
<p>“Suit yourself. I’ll send Emily up to you if she comes back so no cold showers,” she winks. Sam blushes bright red, “Shut up Ash.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Emily; Washington Lodge Grounds; 22:51</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>mily doesn’t like being alone which is ironic as she seems to push everyone away. </span>
  <span>She’s not a bad person, she’s just… opinionated and admittedly a little bitchy. </span>
  <span>She kicks the snow as she walks through the woods. She wants to go back, she wants to go running back and bash on the door and apologise to Sam but that would mean admitting she was wrong and she wasn’t wrong. She’s never wrong. Sam was totally out of line, yelling at her like that. </span>
  <span>Emily sighs as she lies back on nearby table looking up at the dark sky. She should be back at the lodge right now in the company of her friends but instead she is freezing her ass off in the snow. A distant scream causes Emily to jump to her feet.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Hello?” she calls out into the darkness. As soon as she does she can hear Ashley voice echoing in her head lecturing her on stupid things people do it horror </span><span><span>movies,</span></span><span> calling out ‘hello’ to the killer is how to die in horror </span><span><span>movie</span></span><span> 101. That girl’s such a nerd, but somehow even if her relationship with Sam falls apart she hopes she can still be friends with Ashley. After a few seconds, Emily relaxes, she’s probably just imagining things. </span><span>As she carries on walking a feeling of dread starts to build in her, she thinks she hears ruffles in the woods that make her jump but her pride prevents her from turning back. </span></p>
<p>“Oh god, fuck,” she jumps backwards as she turns a corner and comes face to face with a pig’s head on a stick. It’s truly disgusting, blood stains the surrounding snow and the pig has been placed in such a way it looks like it is giving her a grotesque smile. Emily notices a note hanging below it and grabs it, quickly retracting her hands to try to avoid the blood. She fails and manages to splatter herself with pig’s blood, “Ughhh, gross.”</p>
<p>
  <span>She turns to note over and gasps, written in what Emily guesses is more pig’s blood are the words, SHE WAS </span>
  <em>
    <span>MY</span>
  </em>
  <span> GIRL. </span>
  <span>She drops the note and clutches her stomach, that’s Beth’s handwriting. Emily is at the end of her tether. She turns and runs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The start of the fear (hopefully, I never written horror in my life so.....)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 3: Isolation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Matt; Washington Lodge Library; 22:56</b>
</p>
<p>Ashley skips into the room just after Chris and settles into her seat. The room is dark, Hannah insisted it should be set up this way, lit only by a couple of candles.</p>
<p>“No Sam?” asks Chris.</p>
<p>“Are you kidding? It’s Sam, of course she’d pick a bath over us,” laughs Hannah as if that should have been obvious, “Are we gonna get this started?”</p>
<p>Chris puts the spirit board onto the table with a dramatic flourish. Ashley ‘ooohhs’ and makes ghost noises.</p>
<p>“Come on Ash, this is serious,” says Matt, she gives him a curious look, “I never pegged you for the type that believed in all this psychic stuff.”</p>
<p>“Yeah well ‘all this psychic stuff’ might be the only way we have of finding out what happened that night,” says Matt harshly. The room falls into a deathly silence. Ashley looks legitimately upset by Matt’s outburst, Chris gives her a comforting look. Hannah looks at him with concern in her eyes. Matt sighs and tries to ignore them.</p>
<p>“Really man?” says Chris breaking the silence, “You can’t actually believe…”</p>
<p>He stops speaking when he sees the look on Matt’s face. Hannah tries to ease the tension, “Shall we get started? Since you’re still a sceptic Ash, do you want to be our medium? Maybe we’ll be able to persuade you otherwise.”</p>
<p>“Well, my teachers always said I was highly impressionable. Now that I think about it, that’s not a good thing…” Ashley trails off as they all lay their hands on the counter, she shivers and her eyes go wide.</p>
<p>“Ash? Ash, are you okay?” asks Chris.</p>
<p>“Um, yeah… Should we get started?” they all nod, “Ok. Um… Hello? Is there anyone there? Will you reveal yourself? Please?”</p>
<p>There is silence. Then the counter starts to glide over the surface of the board. Matt can see Ashley’s hands shaking, his own heart races. He glances at Hannah who looks oddly calm.</p>
<p>“Who’s doing that?” squeaks Ashley. They all deny it as Chris begins to read out the letters, “H… E… L…”</p>
<p>“Help?” says Hannah quietly, “Who is it? Ask it who it is!”</p>
<p>Ashley does as she was bid and the counter dances around the board. S… I… S… T…</p>
<p>“B-Beth?” asks Ashley her voice quavering. The counter moves to ‘yes’.</p>
<p>“Oh my god. Oh my god,” says Ashley almost lifting her finger from the board but Matt stops her, “No! If you do, you’ll break the connection. You have to ask her what happened, what happened that night?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Beth must hear Matt speaking as the counter begins to move again without further prompting </span>
  <span>from Ashley</span>
  <span>. M… U… R… D… E… R… E… </span>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>… </span>
  <span>S… </span>
  <span>Ashley actually cries out. </span>
  <span>Her hair splays out behind her and Matt swears he sees a flash of light. He looks over at Hannah who is shaking.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Keep going,” she whispers darkly through her teeth. Ashley shakes her head crying, “KEEP GOING!”</span></p>
<p>“W-who killed y-you?” stutters Ashley openly clutching Chris’ hand for support. L… I… B… R… A… R… Y…</p>
<p>“<span>There’s something in the library!” says Chris. As he does the table shakes slightly and the counter flies from it’s place hitting the wall before clattering to the ground. Ashley collapses into Chris’ arms sobbing apologies and confessing her guilt. </span><span>Matt feels a stab of sympathy and second hand guilt. He’s attention is drawn away when Hannah gets to her feet obviously enraged, “I don’t know which of you thought… Which of you thought messing with me was a good idea, but this really isn’t cool. Y’all are terrible people!”</span></p>
<p>With that she leaves the room, angry and upset. Matt glances at the other two, Ashley is still in tears and Chris is white as a sheet.</p>
<p>“<span>What’re we going to do?” asks Chris.</span></p>
<p>“I’m going to go check on Hannah, I’m sure she’s fine but that was super creepy. I swear if one of you was messing with her,” Matt replies.</p>
<p>“We weren’t messing!” shouts Ashley, “W-we weren’t…”</p>
<p>“Well if it was neither of you then maybe you should do as she said… You should check the library.”</p>
<p>With that Matt leaves the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Jessica; Path to the Cabin; 23:22</b>
</p>
<p>Jessica had forgotten how far away the cabin was. It has been a few years since she’d been up there. She and the other girls used to go up there under the supervision of Mrs Washington. Sam said that it was nicer than the lodge because it was ‘closer to nature’. They would sit around the fire and roast chestnuts and vegan marshmallows like camping… More like glamping. Eventually, Beth and Emily would start arguing about something, Ashley would fall asleep and Sam would drag Hannah out to take a look at some interesting nature bullshit, leaving her alone by the warm beautiful fire. It was perfect before they went all boy, or girl, crazy…</p>
<p>“Hey Jess, take a look at this!” and she’s back in her sad, creepy reality. Mike has run a short way over to a totem pole. Jessica laughs, “Dare you to put your hand in it!”</p>
<p>Mike smirks as he slowly moves his hand towards the open mouth, suddenly his whole body jerks and he screams like he is being pulled.</p>
<p>“Mike! Michael!!” Jessica screams as she frantically rushes over and pulls him out falling back into the snow. It takes her a second to realise that Mike is laughing his head off, “Got-cha!”</p>
<p>Jessica scrambles away from him, leaving him lying in the cold, “Jesus Mike! Not funny. Not. Funny.”</p>
<p>“Oh come on, it was a little,” Mike stands up and puts his arm over her shoulder showing a small distance between his fingers up by her face.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay. It was that much funny. Which, may I remind you, isn’t a lot of funny,” she concedes. Mike smiles and pulls her closer kissing her lightly on the top of her head as they continue to stumble down the path. God he’s so sweet, he’s so cute.</p>
<p>“Waaaaaoooow... it's kind of like a real winter wonderland out here…” says Jessica, “It’s so beautiful… Don’t you think? Mike?”</p>
<p>“…Shhhhh,” says Mike suddenly.</p>
<p>“Wait what?” Jessica says annoyed. Mike clamps a hand over her mouth and she listens, there is a strange rustle in the trees. They wait in silence for a few seconds before Jessica rips Mike’s hand from her mouth and says, “I swear if one of you guys is following us, I <em>will</em> lose my shit.”</p>
<p>A deer jumps from the woods and Jessica screams clutching Michael.</p>
<p>“Fewuf… It’s just a deer, it’s just a deer,” Mike says, comfortingly stroking Jess’ hair, though it’s obvious from a slight quaver in his voice that he was just as scared as she was.</p>
<p>“Let’s get going, I don’t think I can take much more of this. It’s just so creepy out here,” says Jess as they hurry along the path. Another noise stops them. Jess stares into the dark woods, her hands shaking and her heart racing.</p>
<p>“Oh god look,” Mike points to a deer corpse lying across the path. They approach it slowly and Jessica is horrified to find out that it is still alive. The deer moves it’s head slightly, obviously in pain. In places, it’s skin has been completely removed exposing it’s insides to the elements. Jessica can sees it’s bones protruding from it’s body and some of it’s internal organs are visible. Mike goes closer, leaving Jess behind.</p>
<p>“H-hey bud, buddy,” he says softly, “It’s okay, s’okay. I’m gonna make this quick and easy for you alright?”</p>
<p>Mike grasps the deer’s antlers and prepares to twist, “Oh god Mike, I can’t watch, I can’t watch…”</p>
<p>Jessica closes her eyes and hears a sicken squelch and is splattered in little droplets of blood. She opens her eyes and sees Mike drop the decapitated head of the deer in shock and horror at his own actions.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, what did I do?”</p>
<p>Then, out of nowhere, something grabs the deer and pulls it out of view. Both of them cry out and Jessica grabs Mike’s hand and begins to pull her shell shocked boyfriend to his feet.</p>
<p>“Go! Go! Go! We gotta go!” she yells as they begin to stagger down the path. Time seems to stand still as they career in the direction of the cabin.</p>
<p>“Over there!” yells Mike pointing through the trees, “This way’s quicker!”</p>
<p>Before Jessica can say anything Mike pulls her from the path and down a steep slope. She’s glad she wore her thick jeans today, she shudders to think the state of her legs if she had worn tights like Sam or Ash. They hit the bottom and Jessica manages to get to her feet. Together they sprint the short distance to the cabin. She fumbles with the key but manages to get it open slamming the door behind her. She relaxes back against the door and takes a deep breath, Mike is doubled over breathing heavily a short distance from her. Her clothes are ripped and ruined and her head is thumping. It takes a while but Jessica’s heart rate slows and she relaxes letting out a small chuckle as she does.</p>
<p>“What?” asks Mike.</p>
<p>“It’s just- What the fuck even was that?” she asks trying to control the laughter that is building within her. Her laughter is infectious, Mike begins to smile, “Well whatever it was, we got away and it was fucking awesome.”</p>
<p>Jessica stands up and wraps herself around Mike and whispers in his ear, “Yeah it was. But this will be even more awesome.”</p>
<p>She pushes Mike backwards and onto a couch in front of the empty fireplace.</p>
<p>“What? No mood lighting?” asks Mike kissing her. Jess shakes her head playfully as she leans over her boyfriend. She pulls his shirt and under shirt over his head and rests her hands on his bare chest humming. Her feels him rip her already destroyed top as she struggles out of her jacket.</p>
<p>“Mmmmm, Mike,” she hums as she feels his body and allows him to explore hers. Suddenly the door rattles and both of them look up. Jess swears she sees a shadow cross the window, “What was that?”</p>
<p>Mike shakes his head, he doesn’t know. He extracts himself from under Jessica and looks out the window, “I’m gonna check it out.”</p>
<p>“Wait, what about the… thing?” she asks worriedly.</p>
<p>“Come on, it’s probably just Chris or Matt. They’re are totally pissing themselves right now, I’m telling ya. And I am not going to let them ruin our fun, okay?” he says. Jessica nods, that makes the most sense. Regardless they still approach the door nervously. Just as Mike takes a hold of the handle there is an ear splitting smash and two large pale hands grab hold of Mike. He screams as he is pulled through the window.</p>
<p>“MIIIKKKE!!!!” screams Jessica in a panic. What should she do? That’s definitely not their friends playing a prank, “Come on Jess, get it together!”</p>
<p>She grabs Mike’s large jacket and flings it over her shoulders, just as she runs out the door she grabs the hunting rifle from the wall. Does she know how to use it? No, but it still makes her feel better. Jessica sprints out into the night screaming Mike’s name.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a id="Ashley.3B_Washington_Lodge_Library.3B_23:14" name="Ashley.3B_Washington_Lodge_Library.3B_23:14"></a> <b>Ashley; Washington Lodge Library; 23:14</b></p>
<p>Ashley follows Matt with her eyes as she sobs into Chris’ shoulder. Beth knows she killed her.</p>
<p>“I killed her, I killed them…” whimpers Ashley, “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault.”</p>
<p>“Hey, hey… It wasn’t just you. It was me and Em and Jess and Mike,” says Chris. Fuck, he doesn’t know. No one ever told him that it was her, it was all her. She is the reason the prank happened in the first place, her and her stupid jealousy.</p>
<p>“You don’t understand… I’m sorry, I’m so so so sorry,” Ashley says. She wants to explain her guilt to him, she feels so dishonest, like she has been lying to him but she can’t. How can you tell a guy that his best friend and his sister are dead because you have a stupid high school crush on him that you were never going to do anything about anyway? She feels like an idiot. More than that, she feels evil. She feels it crawling over her skin. Somehow it was always there but it has been amplified by her experiences so far.</p>
<p>“W-we have to do a-as she said… We have to go to the l-library,” says Ashley after a while. She knows she has to do as Beth says, there may be no way to redeem herself but she has to try. Chris nods and he supports her as they make their way to the library. The library is pitch black, Chris grabs a lantern to supply light. It looks like no one has been in there for years, a thick layer of dust covers everything. The walls are lined with bookshelves which extend to the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Hey, hey, look at that!” Chris points to the centre of the room. An area has been cleared and in the dust a message is written: <em>Jealous BITCH!</em></p>
<p>“Who could that be about?” wonders Chris aloud. Ashley feels a sob exit her lips, Chris is so clueless. What has she done? Suddenly books fly from one of the shelves causing both of them to jump with fright. The books kick up the dust obscuring the message and making them cough. Once the dust has settled, they venture further into the room. Chris examines the books that fell to the ground, Agatha Christie novels, Ashley’s favourite.</p>
<p>“Look, there’s a button!” Ashley says pointing to the place where the books flew from. Chris joins her and they stare at the tiny brass knob. It’s odd, so out of place. A small pile of fresh sawdust is settled just below it, is it new?</p>
<p>“Are you gonna push it?” asks Chris nervously.</p>
<p>“I-I guess,” Ashley presses the button her hand obviously shaking. She jumps back as the bookshelf clicks and a secret door opens. Another plume of dust flies up into their faces. But… No… It can’t be. Ashley kneels down to examine the dust only to find it’s not dust at all, it’s <em>ash</em>. Ashley staggers backwards, she feels like she’s going to vomit. This was set up for her, Beth set this up for her, filled with things that only she would understand and clues that no one else would notice. She shudders to think what horror has been left for her through that door. Chris looks at her worriedly, she must be acting really strangely, “Ash? Are you okay? I mean I know you’re not okay but you seem less okay…”</p>
<p>She wants nothing more than to fling her arms around him and explain everything but he’ll hate her, he’ll hate her. Instead she just brushes herself off and nods carefully as she edges towards the door. It’s worse than she imagined. The room is small, it’s only light comes from the lantern outside, blood is splattered on the walls. In the centre of the room hangs a noose with a note attached to it. Ashley reach out and grabs the note. As she does, the noose goes on fire. Ashley jumps backwards in fright. Chris joins her drawn in by the light of the flame.</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” he asks. Soon there is nothing left of the noose and the ash falls to the ground, where it lands on a familiar beanie. White and green striped, the very same beanie she had worn the previous year. She opens the note with trembling hands, it has one word written in it: <em>die</em>. Ashley cries out and let’s the note fall to the ground. She turns around and flees the room.</p>
<p>“Ashley!” Chris calls after her. She hears him chase after her. His hand reaches her shoulder stopping her. She still doesn’t turn, her guilt is eating her up.</p>
<p>“Ashley,” Chris says a little calmer, “I don’t understand, what’s going on? What happened?”</p>
<p>God, this really must look awful to him. What does he think of her? He needs the truth.</p>
<p>“I killed them. And no, don’t give me the ‘it’s not your fault’ because it is. I could’ve stopped it. I should’ve stopped it. Em and Jess were just doing what they do… If it was just them then Josh would’ve laughed it off. You and I both know that but he didn’t… And it was my fault, it was my fault,” she whispers.</p>
<p>“What? But it had nothing to do with you… It was about Josh… and me,” says Chris still confused.</p>
<p>“No, no you don’t understand!” Ashley cries, why is this so difficult? “I mean the reason we did the prank in the first place… It wasn’t just a joke or- I was jealous.”</p>
<p>“Jealous?” asks Chris, “Jealous of Josh?”</p>
<p>Ashley sees the look on his face when the truth hits him. He doesn’t believe it, “You… You what? You killed them, you really did. How- How could you?”</p>
<p>His horror and disgust is obvious on his face. She feels her heart breaking into a million pieces.</p>
<p>“Chris- I…” But before she can say anything else they hear a scream.</p>
<p>“Matt?!” says Chris urgently. He doesn’t spare her a second glance as he runs towards the sound. Ashley follows close behind him. He pulls open the kitchen doors and they see Matt lying unconscious on the floor. A person in overalls and a mask is leaning over him. They jump up as if surprised. They lunge at Chris dragging him through the door and slam it behind him. Ashley bangs on the door, “Chris! Chris chris chris!!”</p>
<p>The door falls open and she sees the stranger elbow Chris in the head opening a cut on his forehead as he falls to the ground. Ashley scream and tries to run but they grab her and stab her neck with a needle, injecting her with something. She feels herself fall to the ground. She tries to stay conscious but knows it’s no good. She let’s herself fall limp as she loses consciousness.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry Ashley :(</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 4: Jealousy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Changed the order of a few events here. It makes sense (i hope)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Jessica; Cabin; 23:59</b>
</p>
<p>“MIKE! Michael…!” Jessica calls out into the night. Glass covers the ground cutting into her bare feet, “Ow, shit. Shit!”</p>
<p>She sees a trail in the snow and follows it running through the woods still calling out to Mike. He’s going to be okay, it’s Mike, he’s strong. Broken branches and spilled blood show Jessica the way. She runs faster than she ever has before. She’s never been much of an athlete, not like Sam or Hannah or even Emily, always preferring to cheer others on from the sidelines not because she’s lazy just because he body wasn’t made for sports. She can hear her heart beat in her ears as she keeps running. <br/>“JESSICA!!!!” that’s Mike! He’s not dead, not yet anyway. Jessica spots him being dragged by a humanoid figure. Jess follows without hesitation, jumping on tubing to cross a river, every step is perfect. She can’t slip, one mistake could be the end for Mike. She finds herself at the top of a tall cliff and uses the scope of the rifle to track Mike. When she sees him she almost cries out his back has long claw marks down it and he is badly bleeding. He is kicking something that has grabbed a hold of his ankle. She moves the rifle slightly and lays her eyes briefly on a monster. It’s horrible and inhuman, it’s body is thin and spiderlike and it’s fingers are long, sharp, deadly. She doesn’t get a good look, it can’t be real. It has to be her imagination.</p>
<p>“Come on Jess. Come on!” she amps herself up. She jumps down the cliff, it’s the quickest way to get to Mike. She tries to stop herself from screaming as she slides, missing a branch causing her to land heavily on the ground. The pain almost overwhelms her but she doesn’t allow it. She grabs the gun and carries on still calling Mike’s name. She ducks under low hanging branches, jumps over small crevices and slides under a log each time praising herself under her breath.</p>
<p>“Oh shit, fuck!” she yells as she slips and falls down a ledge. She grabs the edge and strains trying to pull herself up but her muscles are betraying her, she can’t do it, she can’t… “Ahhhhh! Come <em>ON</em> Jess!”</p>
<p>With one final heave she manages to escape the cliff. She lies in the snow briefly before getting back to her feet and continuing her pursuit, Mike needs her. Bellow her she sees an abandoned structure, it seems very unsafe but she can hear Mike’s shouts coming from within so she slides down and through the broken roof, landing heavily on the almost rotten wooden floor. That’s when she spots Mike being dragged just out of her view, “Jess!! HELP! Help me! Please, shit shit shit shit shit!”</p>
<p>She continues her sprint basically falling down the stairs in her desperation. A sign points her towards an elevator, Mike screams are coming from that direction. Jessica keeps running and stops when she sees Mike lying in the bottom on the elevator.</p>
<p>“Mike! Oh god… Mike? MICHAEL!” she shouts as she runs to his side. To her relief he moves. He’s not dead! He tries to say something but he doesn’t have the strength.</p>
<p>“No, don’t say anything. I’m gonna get you out of here alright?” she tries to calm him down but as she reaches for him the elevator shakes and falls.</p>
<p>“MICHAEL!” she cries as he falls. There’s no way he survived that, it’s impossible. She breaks down unable to move a muscle. Mike’s dead and it’s her fault. She feels a familiar crushing wave of insecurity and self hatred that comes when she’s alone but it’s much worse than ever before. Mike gave her hope, made her feel good about herself. He actually liked her, he touched her even when she was covered in mud and sweat from running from whatever it was, he cared about her but now he’s gone. No one else needs her, Em has Sam. She hears a shriek unlike anything she has heard before, the monster, she thinks, but she doesn’t move. She doesn’t care any more, she’s going to die out here. She’ll be killed, maimed, murdered and if she isn’t she’ll freeze. Who cares how she dies? After a few minutes of lying there motionless, a wolf appears from the darkness. It’s a beautiful creature, with grey gold fur and bright eyes.</p>
<p>“Hey there,” says Jessica sleepily, “You here to eat me? Well I can think of worse ways to go, at least you’ll get a meal. Maybe that is all my life is worth.”</p>
<p>The wolf cocks it’s head to the side and whines as if it feels pity for her. She manages to sit herself up and reaches her hand out to the animal. She’s knows it’s a stupid thing to do but she doesn’t care. To her surprise the animal gently nuzzles her hand as she pats it’s nose. She laughs, this wolf must never have met a human before or else it’s met too many.</p>
<p>“You know you shouldn’t trust humans Wolfie,” she says, “We’re dangerous savages.”</p>
<p>Wolfie looks at her with his big doe eyes before turning at walking away. Jessica sighs and goes to lie back again but stops when she notices the wolf has stopped. Is he waiting for her?</p>
<p>“You’re out of your mind Jess,” she says to herself as she staggers to her feet and walks over to where Wolfie is standing. She follows the wolf as it climbs a short set of stairs away from where Mike fell. He jumps a gap to a nearby platform. Jess makes the age old mistake of looking down, her head spins. What the hell is this place? It must be part of the mine she and Mike found earlier, it’s way bigger than she thought. Wolfie growls at her to hurry up.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright I’m coming,” she says as she easily jumps the gap. She continues the follow the wolf for some time, not sure if it is actually leading her anywhere or if it’s just a wild animal. Suddenly she spots a human figure. She immediately raises her weapon and aims. Wolfie barks signalling her presence to the person. She tries to shoot anyway but the gun sticks, “Aww, fuck! Piece of shit.”</p>
<p>She tosses it to the side and looks back up for the person but he’s gone. Wolfie runs ahead and disappears. Jessica considers not continuing but then she feels a cold wind on her face, maybe she’s close to an exit. Sure enough she soon finds herself in the open air once again. Wolfie is nowhere to be seen but she can see a strange building in the distance, a person walking through it’s gates. He must have been the one that killed Mike she reasons. A sudden filling of anger floods through her, Mike might not be around any more but she can sure as hell avenge him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Sam; Washington Lodge; 00:10</b>
</p>
<p>Swan Lake, what a beautiful ballet but the music is even better. It’s so dramatic, so moving, so emotional. It is a tragic but amazing love story filled with magic and wonder and it’s one of Sam’s favourites to listen to at above safe volume when she is upset or frustrated. Her alarm goes off ruining the peace. She grabs her earbuds from her ears, “Crap, crap, crap… I thought I just snoozed that.”</p>
<p>She silences the alarm, it’s already been ten minutes. Sam groans and lets her head slip under the water. Even a long bath hasn’t cured her emotional turmoil. Sam tries not to be an outwardly dramatic person or a stirrer of the pot but inside she’s just as much of a teenage mess as everyone else. She stays under as long as she can before resurfacing for air and is surprised to hear the door close blowing out of her candles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello? Guys? Is someone out there? Emily?” there’s no reply. She frowns as she climbs out of the bath drying herself with a towel and looks around for her clothes.</p>
<p>“My clothes? Seriously? If that’s you Em, this is a pretty desperate way of getting me out of my clothes,” she says loudly. Still nothing. She raps the towel around herself and exits the bathroom. The lodge is completely silent and dark, there is no one in sight.</p>
<p>“Chris? Ash? Where the hell are you guys?”</p>
<p>She continues down the corridor, jumping at the sudden sound of the clock chiming. She starting to actually be freaked out. This is exactly what her friends want though so she tries to keep her nerve. She reaches the ground floor and sees the door to the library is ajar, she peeps her head in but no one is in there. She tries the door to the kitchen and frowns when she finds it locked, “Are you in there? Hello?”</p>
<p>A door slams, Sam jumps and lets out a little yelp which she quickly turns into a cough. She’s <em>not</em> scared. She carries on walking through the lodge, the cold is getting to her now. She checks various doors and is confused to find them all locked.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay, I’m suitably freaked out now. You want to come out already?” she calls to the silent house. The only room she hasn’t yet check is the cinema room. She really really doesn’t want to go in there, too many memories. They all used to sit in there watching whatever <span>movie</span> Josh had decided to put on and he would give them a running commentary on why is was good or bad. It was his thing, his passion. Sam grabs a <span>flashlight</span> from a nearby table and takes a deep breath as she opens the door. It opens but the room is empty.</p>
<p>“Hey! Guys come ON! I am DONE with this! I really don’t appreciate the silent treatment here!” she yells out of the room. The door slams shut with a bang and Sam screams.</p>
<p>“Looking for me?” asks a voice. Sam freezes, her eyes widen with terror. Her voice shakes as she speaks, “B-Beth?”</p>
<p>“Maybe you should have tried harder, when there was actually a chance of finding me,” sighs Beth, “But I guess you didn’t love me enough.”</p>
<p>Sam’s mind turns to mush. How can it be Beth? Beth’s gone, Beth’s… dead. But what if she isn’t? They never found her body. What if she didn’t die? Sam suddenly feels a crushing guilt, she’s been up here for an entire year thinking they had abandoned her.</p>
<p>“Beth, Beth… I’m so glad you’re here. Where are you? Is Josh with you? I love you,” Sam asks trying to keep her voice steady but her happiness is unbelievable. She had given up hope that Beth and Josh had survived a long time ago. Beth’s laughter is chilling as it echoes around the room. It’s the kind of laugh you laugh when you have nothing to lose.</p>
<p>“Seriously Sam? You can’t fool me with that ‘good girl’ persona any more. I see what you are now, you cheating lying SLUT!” yells Beth. Sam recoils and glances around the room still waiting to see Beth, her fear returning. What happened to her?</p>
<p>“Beth, I am so so so sorry. I should have kept looking for you. I shouldn’t have given up on you. We can talk about this,” says Sam desperately. Beth laughs again. It’s so unlike Beth… Suddenly the screen flickers on and Sam whips around to see a video of Ashley pounding on the door to the kitchen screaming Chris’ name just as the door opens to reveal a masked figure knocking out Chris and grabbing Ashley. The camera changes to show Matt being dragged away, then Hannah lying unconscious on the stairs followed by a short video of Emily stumbling as she runs from something, Sam feels tears forming in her eyes, “Oh my god… What the hell? What did you do to them!!”</p>
<p>
  <span>The scr</span>
  <span>een</span>
  <span> changes to an image of Sam lying in the bath, her head under the water.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>She’s quite beautiful isn’t she. She was mine once…” says Beth, a sign of her old warmth in her voice, that’s the Beth that Sam lost last year, the sadness in her voice hurts Sam’s soul. Then the malice returns, “</span><span>Do you think she has any idea what lies ahead? Do you think these were the last happy moments of this creature's life?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam’s heart rate sky rocket, what does Beth mean? The door squeaks as it opens and a ghostly figure walks in. It’s Beth but it’s not Beth. She’s dressed in all white, her face is changed, blood leaking from her eyes, chains rattling round her wrists, her skin is almost translucent. Sam backs away. No, ghosts don’t exist. Ghosts don’t exist… But here is one, standing only a few feet away and it is moving towards her. Sam doesn’t think, she just runs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She grabs </span>
  <span>the handle of the only other exit from the room, hoping and praying it isn’t locked. </span>
  <span>It flies open but she doesn’t have much time to celebrate that small victory. She sprints through the guest room vaulting over the bed and running towards the basement. </span>
  <span>Shit, she trips on the stairs and stumbles into the wall. She can hear Beth laughing at her clumsiness. Sam tries to take no notice of her ex. </span>
  <span>Her ex… They never really broke up though. It’s not her fault, Beth’s gone. Dating Emily isn’t cheating, it’s not. She’s dead. In spite of the perfectly reasonable, she’s dead argument, Sam still feels guilty. Maybe she should have waited longer after Beth’s disappearance before dating again? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam sees the boiler, the only part of the basement she has any experience with, if there’s a place to hide it’s there. She jumps behind a pillar and tries to hold still. She holds her breath making as little sound as possible.</p>
<p>“Sa-am?” says Beth, “Why are you hiding from me? Why are you afraid?”</p>
<p><span>Beth’s voice sounds hurt but Sam’s overwhelming fear of what cannot possibly exist keeps her from empathising too much. Sam squeezes her eyes closed, she just wants this to be over. She feels cold hands reach touch her arm and her eyes fly open. Beth is right next to her. Sam screams and tries to lunge away. She then remembers the baseball bat that she had found earlier with Ashley, will it work on a ghost? Only one way to find out. Sam grabs the bat and more or less throws it at Beth, it glances through</span> <span>her wispy clothing but she can see her flinch </span><span>as it hits her arm</span><span>. Okay, okay so at least she’s corporeal… </span><span>Sam’s bracelet comes flying off but she doesn’t have a chance to pick it up.</span></p>
<p>“Still wear this Sam?” asks Beth, “Didn’t Josh get it for you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sam runs into the unknown and come</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> up against a handleless door.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>You’re fucking kidding me!” she yells as she forces it open, she’s gonna feel that later. If she survives. She slams the door behind her and locks it. </span><span>She desperately looks around the room and forces her way through yet another door. Sam falls to the ground </span><span>off a small ledge and clutches her forehead.</span></p>
<p>“Ooooh Sammy!” says Beth from behind her, “Come back to me. Please?”</p>
<p>Sam shakes her head, this isn’t happening. This is a joke and prank. She keeps running and finds an old elevator which she hides in, quickly turning out her light and holds still. She hears Beth search for her but eventually she gives up.</p>
<p>“Did you ever love me?” asks Beth’s soft voice as she glides away. Sam feels her tears running away from her as she breaks down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It takes Sam a few minutes before she can move again. She still can’t process what had experienced. She has always prized her logic and rationality but she has always believed in the supernatural. A belief which she has always kept hidden from her peers as she considers it an embarrassment, there is no proof, no logical reason for magic to exist. Nothing terrifies her more than something she cannot understand. Nothing takes away her rationality, nothing has more influence over her than that fear. A fear that she has only ever shared with her best friend, Hannah.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She finds a small vent in the elevator which she could climb through, she definitely prefers that idea to going back up to where the Beth ghost is haunting. She crawls on her stomach, it’s a miracle that the towel has stayed on so long. The passage comes to an end surprisingly quickly, she kicks her way out and finds herself in a strange workshop.</p>
<p>“What the hell?” she says to herself. She investigates a workstation, it looks like a cheap spoof of a Broadway dressing table. There are various powders, a mirror lit up with LEDs and a make up manual. Pictures of Beth and Josh are glued to the corners of the mirror, it makes Sam shiver, so creepy. Tucked behind the mirror is a massive amount of fake blood. Sam quickly backs away and walks into a wall. She turns around, on the wall is a plan. Photographs of Ashley and herself and stuck in the centre branded with the words ‘jealousy’ and ‘betrayal’. Around them are smaller photographs of everyone else. Jessica’s and Mike’s photos are off to the side, surrounded in chains and Matt’s eyes are crossed out.</p>
<p>Suddenly she sees a flicker out the corner of her eye. She turns a sees a screen and a microphone. The screen shows an image of an unconscious Ashley being tied to a wall by the same masked figure she saw in the cinema room videos earlier.</p>
<p>“What the fuck? What the hell?” Sam says, she’s so confused. She turns away looking for an exit. There’s a door to the left of the dressing station but just as she is about to exit she spots her clothes lying in a heap on the floor. She beds down to pick them up to find them sticky, they’ve been splattered with blood.</p>
<p>“Ugh!” she exclaims as she drops them back to the ground. Then she freezes, the room suddenly feels cold. Horror grips her as she slowly turns. There is nothing she can do before she feels as cold hand grab her face and she passes out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>Emily</b>
    </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>; Washington Lodge Grounds; </b>
    </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>00</b>
    </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>:</b>
    </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>34</b>
    </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Emily is lost. Fucking lost in the fucking woods that her fucking friends died in one fucking year ago. She is so screwed. What was she even running from? It seems pretty freaking stupid now.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>A note and a dead pig? God… </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>How the fuck is she supposed to get out of this one? She’s freezing cold, her phone is dead and the trees are so thick she can </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>hardly</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> see her hand in front of her face. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“This must have been what Josh and Beth felt like last year,” she murmurs to herself. No, she can’t think like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>The </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>image</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> of that stupid note </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>is</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> burned into her mind and she feels a sudden guilt. She’d always been jealous of Beth, she was cool, head strong, her intelligence rivalled that of Emily herself and most of all she had Sam. Emily gets a sick feeling in her stomach when she considers that she might have taken advantage of her friend’s death. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She always imagined that Sam and Beth would be married in their early twenties and she would probably be invited as an after thought. They would dance, catch up and she would finally give up any hope of ever being with Sam and she would go on to live her life as beautiful and powerful socialite who was forever alone. But there had always been a part of her that hoped they would break up, they would fight or argue and as a result of that she, Emily, would have a chance with Sam but she’d never wanted it like this. And yet, when push came to shove, she took the opportunity that she had inadvertently helped to create.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eventually, Emily finds herself on the path up to the lodge. God, she never thought she’d be happy to see familiar trees. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>As she trundles along, no longer afraid. Her mind wonders to other times she has walked this path. She’s never walked it alone before and never this late, she doesn’t even know what time it is. She was never particularly close to any of the Washingtons, though she and Beth used to have a good relationship and she knew Hannah a little bit. Mostly she was invited just because she was part of the group. Not like Ashley or Matt who actually had ties. It’s strange to think about all the things that brought her to this point in her life. Despite seeming like a part of the group’s furniture, she’s actually the newest member. It all started when she was nine years old and began offering tutoring sessions to some of her lesser classmates. It was part of a program for extra credit and it seemed easy enough. That was when she met Jess, Jessica Riley changed her life. Jess was dumb, blonde and popular, she was a brainy, quiet Asian kid, perfect stereotypes. Jessica taught her to break that mo</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>u</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ld and that allowed her to grow into the stone cold bitch she has become and she is happier for it. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She introduced her to her friends and BAM! She was part of </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>the simultaneously most nerdy and most popular and elite group in school. Strange how these things happen, Chris would call it the butterfly effect. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>It is at that point that she first hears the screams. She is put on instant alert as she listens. She can’t tell who it is who is screaming but whatever, it’s not a good thing. Emily starts to run in the direction of the sound, guiltily praying it’s not Sam.</span>
  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 5: Trapped</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chris; Washington <span>Lodge</span>; 00:41</b>
</p>
<p>Chris head is screaming when he finally regains consciousness. He fumbles around in the darkness for his glasses. His forehead is bleeding and his vision is blurry. It takes him a few minutes to remember what happened.</p>
<p>“Ash!? Matt?” he exclaims looking around for the others. They’re nowhere to be seen but there are tell tale signs of struggle all over the room, smashed glasses and toppled furniture. A convenient <span>flashlight</span><span> is sat on the counter above him. He grabs it and turns it on illuminating a horrific scene. There is blood on the walls and floor and Chris notices a small purse lying on the ground next to the door, Ash’s purse. Chris hesitates as she picks it up and unzips it. Inside is a few notes and a photograph of her, Josh, Sam and himself playing dungeons and dragons. Josh is sat behind a DM screen smiling malevolently as Sam argues rules with him. Ashley and Chris are smiling at each other silently laughing at how seriously their friends take the game. Chris remembers the moment well, they had just persuaded Sam to join in and turned out she really enjoyed it but she and Josh ended up in a playful shouting match almost every fight as she kept on coming up with creative ways of ruining Josh’s plans. Ahhh, good times. </span><span>A stab of betrayal hits him as he stares at Ashley face. He won’t even try to claim he understands what happened that night but he now realises there was a lot more to it than just a little prank and somehow it was Ashley’s fault. </span><span><span>Dammit Chris! You can’t be thinking about this right now. They might be in trouble. Come on. Chris pockets the purse and follows the blood out into the hallway.</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shit!” he sees a large splatter across the wall, “Not good… not good at all…”</p>
<p>He quickly heads for the door and continues to call out for Ashley and sometimes Matt. Chris jumps every time a bird moves or the wind blows, “Get it together Chris!”</p>
<p>A crash can be heard from a nearby shed and Chris rushes over calling out Ashley’s name.</p>
<p>“Who’s there? Hannah?” calls out a frightened voice.</p>
<p>“Matt!” shouts Chris, relieved to hear his friend’s voice, “It’s Chris.”</p>
<p>“<span><span>Chris! Thank god. </span></span><span><span>We’re</span></span><span><span> tied up. You have to help, please Chris!” Matt calls out.</span></span></p>
<p>“I’m coming, I’m coming. Just keep talking to me. Is Ash there?”</p>
<p>“<span><span>She’s </span></span><span><span>still </span></span><span><span>unconscious, looks like hell…” </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>That news frightens Chris, what if she is more than unconscious? He hurries up his search and jumps when the lights suddenly come on revealing Ashley and Matt tied to a wooden wall in the middle of the room. Chris runs over but the door to the section is locked he rattles it furiously desperate to get in.</p>
<p>“That’s not going to work Christopher,” says a horribly familiar voice.</p>
<p>“Beth?” croaks Chris is horror looking around for the source of the sound. Her laugh is ghostly and echoey, “Don’t bother. Why try looking for me now? A little to late for that don’t you think.”</p>
<p>It can’t actually be Beth talking to them, that’s impossible. She’s gone, she’s missing, she’s dead.</p>
<p>“<span><span>Now then, we’re going to play a little </span></span><span><em>game.</em></span><span><span> I’ll admit our participants took a little persuading, I’m sure Ashley will join us in a second and then we can… </span></span><span><em>Begin</em></span><span><span>.”</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>It is then that Chris </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>notices the saw. It sits between tracks that lead straight to his friends, should the cart move it will cut one of them in half. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Beth why? Why are you doing this? Please, don’t,” he begs tears beginning to stream down his face. Beth’s laugh reverberates around the room once again, it sounds so much like her and yet so different.</p>
<p>“<span><span>You </span></span><span><em>were</em></span><span><span> his best friend, why don’t you tell me what this is?”</span></span></p>
<p>“<span><span>It’s a game,” sobs Chris, “Like from the ‘Saw’ franchise, Josh’s favourite </span></span><span><span>movies</span></span><span><span>.”</span></span></p>
<p>Ashley moves, Chris wants to stop her tell her to pretend to be dead, it would buy him time. Time to do what though?</p>
<p>“Correct!” says Beth gleefully, “And it seems our <em>lovely</em> little Ashley is waking up. How marvellous.”</p>
<p>Chris watches in dread as Ashley opens her eyes, her confusion and terror is clear on her face.</p>
<p>“Ashley!” Chris cries out. Ashley’s head snaps up her eyes meet his, they are blood shot and dry. What the hell did they do to her?</p>
<p>“What did you do? What the FUCK did you do?” screams Chris sudden anger overcoming him, “I know you’re angry and we’re sorry, okay? But you don’t have to do this!”</p>
<p>Beth seems to ignore him, “Good evening Ashley.”</p>
<p>Ashley face twitches and her tearless eyes widen when she hears Beth’s voice.</p>
<p>“This is all for you,” says Beth, “You’re welcome. Now Chris, Chris, Christopher… You’ll find a lever placed directly in front of you. All you have to do… is choose who you will save!”</p>
<p>With that the saw blade begins to turn. That is when Matt starts pleading for his life, “What did I do to deserve this? What did I do!?”</p>
<p>“<span><span>Ahhhh, Matthew. </span></span><span><span>Poor sweet </span></span><span><em>innocent</em></span><span><span> Matthew. </span></span><span><span>I am sorry that you may have to die, let’s just call it collateral damage.”</span></span></p>
<p>“<span><span>No,” croaks Ashley, her voice thin and dry, “Kill me, I have to die. I deserve to die. No one else should die when I survive, this was all my fault. All my fault.”</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chris watches the saw blade slowly edge its way along the tracks. He can’t decide, who is he to choose who lives and who dies? Matt didn’t do anything, he was nothing but an innocent bystander for the entire thing and Ashley, well it really looks like this whole mess was her fault or at least she and Beth see it that way. Come on Chris! You can’t be taking Beth’s opinion into account, she’s dead. She’s not really here. This is a dream, this is a dream or a hallucination… He makes his decision.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span><span>Ashley I’ll get you out of this, I won’t let you die!”</span></span> <span><span>he yells. He tries not to listen to Matt’s desperate cries as he realises that Chris is going to let him die. He can’t look at Ashley who is literally begging for death. The whole spectacle is too horrible and totally heart breaking. In the course of the last few hours he has learned that the girl that he loves is possibly the main reason Josh and Beth are dead and now he is sacrificing a friend to save her life. </span></span><span><span>How is that fair? How is that fair? And yet he won’t change his mind. He moves the lever to Ashley’s side saving her.</span></span></p>
<p>“Ah… I see. You have chosen… to save Ashley. I guess justice and innocence mean nothing to you Christopher…”</p>
<p>Chris turns his face away as Matt’s screams get louder. He hears the saw blade cutting flesh and Matt falls silent. The only sounds are the continuous drone of the saw blade and the sobs of Chris and Ashley. The door between the sections unlocks and Chris runs through, untying the bonds that bind Ashley. She collapses to the ground, unable to speak. He cradles her head and covers her eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t look, don’t look Ash. This’ll be over soon. Just walk with me. Come on, come on…”</p>
<p>He directs Ashley away from the scene, still holding her head. Once they are out of the shed they collapse to the ground in each other’s arms. Ashley is covered in blood but Chris doesn’t care, she’s his everything and she’s still alive.</p>
<p>“<span><span>I deserve to die. Why didn’t you let me die,” she wails. Chris strokes her head, “You don’t deserve to die, I don’t know what Beth or whoever is playing at but don’t let her persuade you that you don’t deserve to live </span></span><span><span>because you do Ashley.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sudden noise silence them both. Ashley holds her breath to stop her from crying out. Whatever made the noise is coming towards them and fast.</p>
<p>“Who’s there!” yells Chris and the footsteps stop, “It’s Emily!”</p>
<p>Ashley relaxes and lets out another sob. Chris holds on to her as Emily comes out of the forest. She looks a little battered and the fur on her jacket is stained with blood. Normally this would have been a big cause for concern but Chris is much more focused on Ashley than whatever the hell happened to Emily, still he’s glad to see her.</p>
<p>“<span><span>Oh my</span></span><span><span>- </span></span><span><span>Blood. Who’s blood is that, Ash?” Emily asks, her horror clear on her face. Chris feels the tears returning to his cheeks, “It’s Matt… Matt’s dead.”</span></span></p>
<p>The news obviously takes a moment to sink in but once it does Emily’s face turns to panic, “What the hell? What are you talking about?”</p>
<p>“<span><span>Just- right in front of us,” </span></span><span><span>says Chris, “This massive fucking saw blade- It was him or Ash and-”</span></span></p>
<p>“<span><span>WHAT!? </span></span><span><em>OH</em></span><span><span> my god Chris what!?</span></span><span><span><span>” shouts Emily, she still doesn’t quite believe. </span></span></span></p>
<p>“And Beth…”</p>
<p>“Beth!?” that news actually alarms Emily. She begins to look from side to side, “Chris where the FUCK is Sam?”</p>
<p>“<span><span><span>I- I </span></span></span><span><span>think she's still in the lodge- </span></span><span><span>H-hannah too,</span></span><span><span>” stutters Chris.</span></span></p>
<p>“<span><span>Okay, okay,” Emily tries to calm herself down, “I’m gonna go find </span></span><span><span>them</span></span><span><span>. You need to get help, do you understand what I’m saying Chris?”</span></span></p>
<p>Chris nods, “Help… Yeah, a plan. Let’s focus on a plan.”</p>
<p>“Right, just get someone, anyone. I don’t know what’s going on here but we need help. Get yourselves the fuck off this mountain.”</p>
<p>With that Emily gives him one last smile and runs off towards the lodge. His mind is totally frazzled, he is glad that Emily told him what to do or else he thinks he would have struggled to collect his thoughts. He takes Ashley soft quavering hand, “Okay, we’re gonna go. We’re gonna get help. Everything is going to be okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Jessica; Sanatorium Grounds; 01:03</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>J</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>essica crouches behind the walls of the rundown building shivering in the cold. She rubs her hands together trying to get feeling back into them and hugs Mike’s jacket around herself, it smells of him. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She peeks over the tops of the wall, her eyes dance across the wreckage. There is a fence surrounding the entrance, it’s filled with holes and probably tetanus. The trees grow at strange angles as if they have been pulled towards the ground over time. She ducks down quickly when she spots the Stranger and two wolves walking across the courtyard. She watches them through a gap in the stones, the Stranger pats Wolfie on his head before entering the building through the front door.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>Fucking murderer,” mutters Jessica as she hoists herself up the wall and down the other side trying to land as quietly as she can. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>She slowly sneaks towards the building her heart is racing, she’s never been so nervous in all her life. She considers going through the same door as the Stranger but decides against it, she doesn’t want him to get her before she can get him.</p>
<p>“Alright Jess, all you need is another way in,” she says to herself trying to stay motivated. That entrance comes in the form of a small vent to the side of the main door. She pulls the metal covering off it and crawls in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s slightly warmer now she is out of the icy wind, that’s one thing. The bottom of the vent is covered in broken glass, sharp metal and slime. She wrinkles her nose but continues in spite of it. Soon enough she comes to an opening, it’s a small room but it’s large enough to stand up in. A ledge can be found just above her she struggles to get up to it but is glad she does as there is an exit into the building proper. She kicks the vent cover and hops down to the floor. A large plaque on the wall announces the building as Blackwood Sanatorium, it’s the only thing that seems to still be intact. Papers are scatters across the floor, broken furniture has been abandoned, “Seems like someone left here in a hurry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She continues into the depths of the Sanatorium, it doesn’t get any better, rubble still litters the ground. Jessica is careful trying not to cut her already abused feet on anything. A no</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>i</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>se makes Jessica jump, she quickly hides herself behind a stone pillar peering around to see what made the noise. It seems to be coming from a large door, the Chapel. The Stranger and his wolves sit in the room, the Stranger smoking a </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>stogie</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> while patting the darker of the two wolves. She ducks down when the Stranger looks her way.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Shit,” she whispers quickly scrambling away from the door as quietly as she can. If that man has seen her, she’s totally screwed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She makes her way through a side door labelled ‘Admin’. The Sanatorium is horribly silent as she dives deeper into it’s secrets. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She discovers some intact medical notes telling the story of a mine collapse and the state of the rescued miners. Everything about the place makes Jessica more and more nervous but nothing more than the strange moving flesh hand she finds.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>Must be for the wolves,” says Jessica disgusted as she reaches out for it. She finds herself in sudden excruciating pain as her hand is pulled downwards into a </span></span><span><span>bear trap. She screams forgetting to be quiet, she looks around frantically for anything to help her pry the trap open pulling at her hair desperately trying to not cry out again. She spots a machete stabbed into a table but it’s too far to reach, there is nothing she can do but pull. Jessica bites down on one of her braids trying not to pass out as she pulls her hand shredding the flesh from her bones. She falls backwards holding her hand, her fingers are damaged beyond repair. She can see the bones poking through the remaining flesh hanging useless from her hand. She feels faint with pain and squeamishness but she manages to keep it together as she struggles back to her feet, staggering over to the table and grab</span></span><span><span>s </span></span><span><span>the machete </span></span><span><span>before cutting her useless fingers from her hand and wrapping the stubs in bandages</span></span><span><span>.</span></span><span><span> She begins to feel almost giddy as she looks for an exit. Mike and the Stranger forgotten, all Jessica wants is to get out of this place. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>She runs from the room and finds herself in the morgue. Why did it have to be the morgue? Filled with dead bodies and death notices. She tries to ignore her surroundings as she runs to the only other door. She uses her good hand to bash on the door.</p>
<p>“LET ME OUTTA HERE!” she screams to no one before falling to the ground in tears. She runs through the night’s events in her head. The horror hitting her like a tonne of bricks, there is no way this is real. None of this can be real, she’s dreaming, she’s dreaming. Maybe she’s high… Those thoughts calm Jessica. If nothing is real then everything’s fine, right? She gets back to her feet and examines the door, it’s another entrance to the Chapel, she needs a key card. One of the dead people must have one, that makes sense.</p>
<p>“Nothing makes sense, nothing has to make sense,” Jessica whispers to herself a smile crossing her face. The first drawer she opens she finds a rotting corpse and boom key card! On a closer look, Jessica can see that the body has been ripped up, evidence of bites cover the open torso.</p>
<p>“<span><span>My, my, Wolfie is the savage,” says Jessica. </span></span><span><span>She slips the key card from the body’s pocket and uses it on the door. It clicks open with a happy little ding! Like an elevator reaching it’s destination. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jessica stumbles through and is ambushed by the dark wolf. Instead of running she kneels down and holds her hand out, “Hey buddy!”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it seems this wolf is less tame than Wolfie, it growls and snaps at her. Jessica frowns and stands up again. She begins to climb the stairs. It’s difficult, with every step she feels like gravity gets stronger pulling her down the way, “Argh, don’t tell me it’s one of those fucking infinite staircases…”</p>
<p>Turns out it’s not, when she finally reaches the top she collapses panting. Her body feels like death, she’s covered in a thick layer of blood, dirt and grime, it seems to be biting into her skin. With one last heave, Jessica makes it back to her feet. To her left is a smashed window looking down on the chapel. She can see Wolfie down below.</p>
<p>“Wolfie!” she calls out, the wolf looks up at her and grins. Jessica kneels down and let’s her legs dangle over the edge of the drop, it’s a dream, you can’t die in dreams. She jumps.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>The ground meets her faster than she thought it would and she lands on her side with an oof. It hurts but she is mostly numb to the pain by this point. Wolfie runs over to her and </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>licks her trying to make sure she’s okay.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“He- heyyy! That t-tickles,” laughs Jessica as she sits up to pat the wolf on his head, “And it’s nice to see you too. You wouldn’t happened to know the way out of here?”</p>
<p>To her disappointed Wolfie doesn’t reply most of her dream animals can speak. She sighs as she ruffles his fur and takes a look at her surroundings. Boots! She spots some massive boots in the corner of the room by a caged off area. She runs over, god she’s never been so happy to see such ugly boots. She quickly slips them onto her feet and is surprised to see that they were hiding a hole in caging. A gun sits on a nearby ledge, she strains to reach it. When she can’t she removes the leg of ledge allowing her to acquire the weapons. She holds it in her good hand, it is strangely comfortable. She strikes a pose aiming it at the wall, “God I totally see why guys are so obsessed with these things!”</p>
<p>Wolfie barks a warning at her, “Okay, okay, I’ll be sensible Dream Wolfie.”</p>
<p>Wolfie walks over to her a whines.</p>
<p>“What is it that you want? Oh I know, a chew toy!” Jessica’s scrambled brain jumps to some strange conclusions resulting in her cutting off one of her braids and chucking it at the confused dog. She looks at her reflection in a small pool of water and gags. She looks gross and now her hair is uneven. She spends the next few minutes hacking off part of her hair with the machete until it’s more even, or so she thinks.</p>
<p>“<span><span>You have to be beautiful to be Homecoming Queen!”</span></span> <span><span>giggles Jess, “Why did I even want to be Homecoming Queen…?”</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><span>Yet again Wolfie </span></span><span><span>it’s</span></span> <span><span>who </span></span><span><span>remind</span></span><span><span>s </span></span><span><span>her to continue. Jessica sighs at the wolf and gets to her feet, he directs her to a locked door which she ‘unlocks’ with a quick shot from the gun. She laughs with glee a</span></span><span><span>s the</span></span><span><span> noise echoes around the room. Wolfie whimpers at the </span></span><span><span>sound</span></span> <span><span>and disappears.</span></span></p>
<p>“<span><span>You know you’re a useless animal companion!” yells Jessica after him. </span></span><span><span>She carries on without him and soon finds herself underground and sign pointing her towards a hotel. Eh, why not? She shrugs as she begins to trudge down another seemingly endless passageway still convinced everything is a dream but the truth is beginning to nag at the back of her mind, a truth that would totally break her. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Ashley; Upper Cable Car Station, 01:05</b>
</p>
<p>Ashley doesn’t know what is happening, she follows Chris as he directs her towards the cable car station. She keeps repeating the plan in her head, it helps to have a plan, keeps you on target and stops your mind wandering. Get off the mountain, get help, get off the mountain, get help. Ashley stops sharply when Chris holds out a hand in front of her. She looks up and sees the cable car station is dark, an axe is lodged in the door. Chris starts to sneak over to an open window and peers in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey Ash, take a look at this,” he calls her over softly, “This place has been totally trashed.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Ashley joins him, something has messed the place up and </span>
  <span>graffitied</span>
  <span> the walls. It reminds her of an abandoned barn near their home town, they went there as a group occasionally. She, Josh and Chris were always the first to start jump scaring the others. Ashley bites her tongue to stop herself from thinking of Josh, the guilt spreads through her like wildfire. </span>
  <span>Chris retreats from the window and grabs the axe pulling it free with a loud crunch. He checks the door, it’s locked, and gets ready to knock it down. </span>
</p>
<p>“Chris!” exclaims Ashley, “Keep it down will you? You never know who’s listening…”</p>
<p>“You got any better suggestions?” asks Chris. Ashley points to the window, “If you help me up…”</p>
<p>“There’s no way you can fit through there!” says Chris with a laugh.</p>
<p>“Gee, thanks Chris,” says Ashley. Chris’ face pales as stutters his way awkwardly through an apology but Ashley isn’t really listening, it’s just not the time to be getting annoyed about insulting Freudian slips. Eventually they decide the only way in is by breaking down the door but that doesn’t stop them from flinching with every crash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chris manages to break through on his third attempt, both of them let out a sigh of relief as they enter the rundown building. Ashley grabs a </span>
  <span>
    <span>flashlight</span>
  </span>
  <span> from a nearby table and shines it around the room illuminating the carnage.</span>
</p>
<p>“It looks like an elephant’s been through here,” says Chris as he picks his way across the room.</p>
<p>“Yeah, if elephant’s could write,” says Ashley pointing towards a message written on the wall: Die. Die. Bitch Die.</p>
<p>“Very eloquent,” says Chris.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They continue their search of the station. Chris points out the cable car hanging far outside the station.</p>
<p>“<span>Do you have a key?” asks Ashley hopefully as she looks </span><span>down at the control board. Chris shakes his head, “Matt had one.”</span></p>
<p>Ashley’s stomach lurches, “You’re not saying… We can’t go back…”</p>
<p>Chris quickly dismisses that idea to her intense relief, she couldn’t go back there she just couldn’t. She sees Chris sit down by the side of the station with a sigh, they need a plan and they need one fast before they both breakdown. Ashley spots a map across the room, it has been left thankfully undamaged. It looks old and a little battered and it’s strange as well, “Hey Chris? Did you know there was an old Sanatorium up here?”</p>
<p>Chris quickly joins her and looks at the map, “I don’t know how that helps us right now Ash. What about the fire tower, it’s gotta have a communication machine.”</p>
<p>“<span>You mean a phone or radio or something?” Chris nods. Ashley hesitates, she doesn’t like the idea of going back out into the snow and the cold where there is a crazy revengeful </span><span>ghost of their dead friend hunting them down but there is nothing else to do so she agrees. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The access to the ranger’s path to the tower involves climbing around one of the pillars that holds the cable car station in place. Ashley knows that Chris has a fear of heights and so she offers him her hand as they slowly shuffle alone the narrow ledge, he gladly takes it. Ashley leads the way careful of the icy surface underfoot. </span>
  <span>They get over half way without any issues but Chris suddenly stops, Ashley can see his whole body shaking. </span>
</p>
<p>“Hey, hey, hey…” she tries to move his focus from their current situation, “Don’t look down, just look at me alright?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know Ash, I don’t think I can do this. Just everything is piling up and- and,” Ashley can see that Chris is losing the plot.</p>
<p>“I know, I know,” she says desperately trying to get Chris off the ledge before he breaks down, “Just follow me, close your eyes if you want. I’ll guide you, do you trust me Chris?”</p>
<p>Chris shakes his head wildly but he does as she says and Ashley slowly moves Chris along. She lets out a long breath as they reach the other side and Chris opens his eyes before falling to his knees. Ashley runs over to comfort him but he pushes her away, “I’m fine, I’m alright Ash. Let’s just keep going alright?”</p>
<p>
  <span>He gets to his feet and goes ahead of her, she tags along a little behind a little hurt by his slight outburst. He’s under a lot of stress she reminds herself, hell she might be totally misreading him anyway, her mind is totally fried. </span>
  <span>They walk as quickly as they can, they don’t want to stay in any place for too long. Ashley has the strange feeling of being constantly watched and the occasional shriek can be heard echoing through the woods. She wants to run over to Chris and hold on to him for comfort but he is moving too fast, she has to jog just to keep up. He’s mad, </span>
  <span>
    <span>why’s</span>
  </span>
  <span> he mad?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he can’t take it any more and she doubles over panting, “Chris… Chris please wait up. You’re going too fast, I can’t- can’t keep up.”</span>
</p>
<p>He turns and looks at her with legitimate concern, “God, sorry Ash… I didn’t- I just wanted to get out of here y’know.”</p>
<p>He rushes back to help her up but just as he does they hear a rustle in the woods and the sound of hooves against the ground.</p>
<p>“Uhhhhhh, Chris? Chris, chris chris chris…” a herd of deer approach them from the darkness. Ashley glances around as they start backing away, they’re on the edge of a cliff.</p>
<p>“Chris!” she calls out a warning just in time as he almost steps into thin air, “Oh shit!”</p>
<p>They have nowhere to go, nowhere to run. They’re trapped.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I think Jessica would find it hard to be on here own and she'd try to rationalise it... Poor Jess...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 6: Betrayed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Emily; Washington Lodge; 01:06</b>
</p>
<p>Emily runs into the lodge at top speed.</p>
<p>“SAM!” she shouts. There is no reply. Emily’s heart races, what if she’s dead? What if she’s hurt?</p>
<p>“<span>Calm down Emily, she’s probably just listening to music totally oblivious,” she says to herself as she runs up the stairs. There is no light coming from under the bathroom door but she still knocks before going in out of courtesy. </span><span>The bath is still filled, one candle is still lit but there is no sign of Sam. Emily runs back out into the lodge proper calling out Sam’s name. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Emily feels sick, what if that stupid argument was the last time she ever got to see Sam? God, she’s such an idiot.</p>
<p>“<span>Sam?!” she calls again running frantically looking through every door, checking every window, every nook and cranny for any sign of her girlfriend. She forces her way into the cinema room which was the only room that was locked and a ray of hope forms when she </span><span>sees a figure lying on the ground. She rushes over, it’s Hannah. She’</span><span>s</span><span> mostly unharmed, </span><span>though she has a cut on her arm,</span><span> thank god.</span></p>
<p>“Hannah!” she shakes the girl’s shoulders, “Hannah, wake up. Wake up!”</p>
<p>Hannah stirs before opening her eyes. She looks up at Emily in confusion, “Em- Emily?”</p>
<p>Emily can’t help but embrace the girl, “I’m so glad you’re okay, what happened to you? And where is Sam?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Hannah takes a moment as she sits up, lightly pushing Emily away. Emily isn’t offended, she and Hannah aren’t really friends. She was always much closer to Beth than any of the other Washingtons, they had a lot in common which often caused arguments but they usually made up. Hannah on the other hand, she was just so weird. It’s clear why Sam like her so much though, she’s a sports superstar mixed with nerd with the perfect balance between general intellect and airheaded childish girlyness. Sam is a very caring person so she obviously gravitates towards people who </span>
  <span>have potential but </span>
  <span>seem vulnerable, </span>
  <span>Hannah fits the glove. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>There was this guy, in a creepy mask. I don’t know I was scared and- he knocked me out I think… </span><span>What happened </span><span>to you</span><span>? Where did the blood…” Hannah asks finally motioning towards Emily’s blood stained clothing. Emily shakes her head suddenly realising she knows next to nothing about what is going on. </span></p>
<p>“<span>Chris and Ashley… I met them out in the woods and-” she hesitates, she knows how close Hannah and Matt are she’s not going to be any use helping her find Sam if she knows Matt is dead, “They were totally freaking out. Ash was like covered in blood and- I don’t know. They told me they hadn’t seen you or Sam and now I can’t find her anywhere. </span><span>Maybe it was the guy who attacked you who got to them too? </span><span>They’ve gone to get help, something really weird is going on here Han.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>annah looks sick, “You don’t think Sam…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily shakes her head tears forming in her eyes. It’s not possible, Sam can’t be… She just can’t. Hannah gets to her feet </span>
  <span>and looks at Emily with determination, grabbing her hand, “We’re going to find her. It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>annah leads the way as they go to the one part of the lodge Emily hasn’t yet checked, hell she didn’t even really know it existed, the basement. The door slams behind them making Hannah scream. Emily tries to open it and finds it locked, “I guess we’re stuck in here… Come on, let’s find Sam. She’s gotta be down here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They are instantly faced with evidence of a struggle, a disregarded baseball bat, damaged furniture.</p>
<p>“Em, hey look at this,” Hannah calls her over, she holds up Sam’s bracelet. Emily takes it from her, dread filling her, “Sam… She never takes this thing off.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly a crash can be heard </span>
  <span>as books fly out of a cabinet narrowly missing Hannah’s head. They both jump out of the way. The sound is accompanied with strange laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Who’s there?” Emily asks, “Show yourself!”</span></p>
<p>Hannah looks at her worried, “Em? Are you okay? Did you see someone, is it Sam?”</p>
<p>“No, the laughing…” says Emily but Hannah looks at her like she’s mad, “You- you don’t hear that?”</p>
<p>Hannah shakes her head.</p>
<p>“<span>Okay, fuck, whatever…” snaps Emily suddenly embarrassed by her outburst. She walks away from Hannah examining the book that flew out at them. It’s Beth’s diary. Emily opens it slowly and </span><span>looks down on the pages. It’s a little strange, the entries are very </span><span>irregular which is unlike Beth and all of them are about Sam. Maybe it was so kind of compilation? Only one way to find out, she</span><span> begins to read: </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>20</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> August 2011, I finally asked Sam out today and she said yes… I can’t believe she said yes! It’s so strange, I feel like we’ve been dating forever and she just didn’t know about it. I guess that’s quite creepy.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>18</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> March 2012, We went hiking again today. I shouldn’t complain it’s like Sam’s favourite thing in the world and I know she’s been in a fight with Han so I need to step up and be there for her. Unfortunately she invited Ashley… It’s not that I don’t like Ash she’s just so Chris this Chris that nerd nerd nerd nerd nerd. Sam adores her. At least she didn’t invite Jess and Emily, that would have been a nightmare.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>25</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> March 2012, Josh is having another one of his stupid get </span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>togethers</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span> with the whole group… What even is our group? It’s literally just a mismatched group of loners who happen to have connections to the jocks. I should be happy, Hannah is… At least Sam’ll be there, maybe we can make up.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>27</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> March 2012, What a disaster. I should have known Josh would ruin everything with some stupid prank, they upset Han and Sam had to go deal with her. I ended up just drinking myself half to death with Em so it could’ve been worse.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>9</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> January 2013, She told me she loves me! I told her that a long time ago and I was sorta worried that she would never say it back… She did kinda always avoid the issue but it’s confirmed. Sam doesn’t lie, she never lies.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>31</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>st</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> November 2013, Sam’s acting weird, I think she’s sad. She’s been like this for months and I don’t know what to do. Nothing I say seems to make a difference, she’s still there but she’s so distant. I asked Hannah but she had nothing to say, I think it might be me. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>9</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>th</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> January 2014, Josh and Hannah are besides themselves, </span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>mom</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span> agreed to let us go up to the lodge. They’ve invited the normal gang. I guess I’m a little excited, it will be fun I’m sure… Sam messaged me today saying that she will be there. Maybe getting away will be good for our relationship, she still hasn’t said anything to me though. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>I’m worried, she’s so out of it. She gets awkward whenever I’m around, like guilt? I don’t know, maybe I’m reading to much into it. Sam wouldn’t cheat, it’s Sam…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>1</span>
  </em>
  <sup>
    <em>
      <span>st</span>
    </em>
  </sup>
  <em>
    <span> February 2014, Party’s tomorrow. Sam’s come over for the night then we’re all taking the plane together. She’s acting pretty normal, she’s really hyped. She keeps talking about how much fun it’ll be to see everyone, it’s not like she sees everyone at school literally everyday. She and Em are getting kinda close, ever since she started tutoring her… I’m worried, I mean I love Em but she can be a lot and I don’t know if Sam can cope with that just now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What you got there?” asks Hannah. Emily quickly closes the diary, “It’s nothing… It’s just- It’s Beth’s diary.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Emily goes to put it back on the shelf, her hands are shaking a little. She feels like she has seriously violated Sam’s privacy. She remembers the incidents that Beth describes… The thing that stands out to her most in the timing of Sam’s strange behaviour, apparently she started acting weird around the same time that Emily started tutoring her. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>What if Beth was right, well sorta right… Maybe she was the reason Sam was so distant from Beth. That makes Emily feel awful, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Beth was her friend and she knows that we was totally devoted to Sam. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You okay?” asks Hannah, “You look like a baboon ate your birthday cake.”</p>
<p>Emily almost laughs, “Yeah, yeah. We just need to hurry, I’m worried about Sam.”</p>
<p>She walks down what looks like a likely corridor but the door at the is damaged and is missing it’s handle. She turns around explaining that the door is busted. Hannah seems to know another way around and shows the way to a different corridor. The walls are covered in horrifying words are painted in what looks horribly like blood: Jealousy, Friendship, Betrayal, Trapped, Stuck, Abandoned and Revenge. Emily shivers and hears the laughing again. She jumps, “You can’t tell me you don’t hear that Han.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>But Hannah still looks confused, “Emily, you look awful… </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>What can you hear?”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Laughter and look at the walls! Doesn’t that freak you out?” asks Emily, “Who wrote that?”</p>
<p>“Wrote what?” asks Hannah still sounding concerned, “Do you want to sit down Em?”</p>
<p>Emily shakes her head is disbelief, no way Hannah can’t see that.</p>
<p>“Why are you fucking with me Han? This isn’t funny! Sam could be in real danger!” she says angrily.</p>
<p>“<span><span>I’m not doing anything Emily. I’m just as worried about Sam as you are but I’m telling you there is nothing there,” insists Hannah. </span></span><span><span>Emily knows she’s not imagining things and she’s not about to back down. She marches up to the the wall and points to the words, insisting their existence but Hannah keeps telling her that she is wrong, “Look, Em… I don’t know what you’re seeing. Maybe it’s me, my glasses are pretty messed up. Whatever, Sam is more important than this, we have to go.”</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Emily can’t argue with that, Sam has to be her priority, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>but </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>she’s still </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>frustrated</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>Fine, yeah whatever,” she grumbles as she walks away down the corridor. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>They come to the top of a set of stairs, Emily peers down into the darkness. It doesn’t look like the rest of the basement, it has wallpaper for a start.</p>
<p>“Hey Han, what’s down here?” Hannah shakes her head, “I’ve never been this far… I don’t think- I can’t go on…”</p>
<p>Emily scowls at her, “You just gonna ditch Sam because you’re scared of the dark?”</p>
<p>“No, I-…”</p>
<p>“Then you’re coming with me,” says Emily, “Come on.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She continues down the stairs secretly relieved when she hears Hannah’s hesitant footsteps following her. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>They find themselves in a totally different environment, like an old hotel. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“The hell is this place?” Emily wonders out loud. She examines her surroundings, boarded up walls and doors, strange wall art, nothing of particular interest. Then there is a bang, a door maybe?</p>
<p>“<span><span>You heard </span></span><em><span>that</span></em><span><span> right?” asks Emily. Hannah nods, her face pale with fright, </span></span><span><span>“What if it’s that guy? The guy who attacked me and the others?”</span></span></p>
<p>“I don’t know, it could be… We should keep quite. Maybe he got Sam too,” says Emily suddenly more alert.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>The corridor opens up into what seems to be a store room and Hannah cries out as she points towards a beheaded pig carcass. Emily gags as she remembers the head on a spike from earlier. Emily passes her </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>flashlight</span>
    </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> over the room and finds that it is much worse than a single dead pig, bloodstained hooks and chains line the walls and a rusty saw lies in the corner. Above it is a board with photographs of some of their friends. Matt’s eyes have been crossed out, Sam’s have small hearts around them and her own look like they have been gouged out. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“What’s this? Like a fucking hit list?” says Emily in disgust but Hannah isn’t listening she’s walked further and out of the room. She is pointing towards a door. Emily joins her, it’s splattered with blood. Emily gulps, it could be Sam’s.</p>
<p>“It looks kinda heavy, I’m gonna try to get it open,” says Emily pulling at the door, “Ungh… I’ve got it. Hannah? Hey Hannah?”</p>
<p>“Wait, I think I saw…” says Hannah walking a little way along the corridor.</p>
<p>“I can’t hold it, get through here!” Emily whispers urgently.</p>
<p>“<span><span>I’ll catch up,” says Hannah as she disappears away. Emily groans and jumps through the door just as it slams closed. There’s no way Hannah is going to be able to follow her in here. </span></span><span><span>She shivers, it’s fucking freezing in there. Emily hurries out of the room hoping to get to somewhere warmer. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She’s then confronted with a horrible sight. Sam hangs from the ceiling, her clothes are ripped and splattered in blood. A rope is tied around her neck. She’s almost white with the cold and she’s… </span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shivering</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span>! That means she’s not dead. Not yet anyway. Emily runs over and grasps Sam’s hand, it’s ice.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Sam! Oh my god, Sam…” Emily says as she tries to get her down. She finds the rope that is suspending her is actually tied around her torso, meaning the one around her neck was taking none of her weight. Emily manages to untie the rope and Sam falls into her arms. Emily lays her down on the ground and shakes her trying to wake her up.</p>
<p>“<span><span>Wake up, please wake up Sam. I need you, I-” she sobs and begins rubbing her girlfriend’s freezing body in a futile attempt to warm her up. She wraps her in her jacket and holds her close, listening to the breathing, her heartbeat. She’s not dead, she’s alive. </span></span><span><span>A sudden crash makes Emily jump, “Hannah?”</span></span></p>
<p>She turns and sees it’s not Hannah. It’s the masked man, he’s tall, really tall and broad. She stands in front of Sam.</p>
<p>“Get away you Psycho!” screams Emily but he doesn’t stop, he grabs Emily. She tries to struggle but he’s too strong, he places a gas mask over her face and she feels herself losing consciousness.</p>
<p>“<span><span>I’m sorry Em,” says the Psycho as she passes out. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Chris; Clifftop; 02:03</b>
</p>
<p>Chris instinctively grabs Ashley’s hand as they hold their ground against the herd. The deer in front waves it’s head aggressively and Chris and feel Ashley flinch.<br/>“Get a hold of yourself!” commands Chris, if she doesn’t get it together then she’s going to get them both killed. Ashley squeaks but does as he says.</p>
<p>“They’re just deer, they’re not gonna hurt us,” he says as he walks slowly towards them. Ashley clutches his hand as she follows. Chris edges towards them, softly whispering words of encouragement to the jumpy Ashley. They are almost out of the herd but then the leader makes a move against Ashley causing her to scream out. Chris doesn’t think, he swings the axe into the deer’s neck, “Get away from her, ya fuck!”</p>
<p>There is a crunch and blood splatters over Ashley who screams again. There is a change in the herd, as if a telepathic message has been sent among them. They ignore Ashley who has fallen to the ground and turn on Chris. He slowly backs away, “No, fuck, fuck!”</p>
<p>He slips and falls off the cliff, he hears Ashley scream out his name. He just manges to grab a rock with his right hand but he drops the axe. He uses his now free hand to solidify his grip on the wall. He looks up and sees Ashley’s frightened face peering over, she holds out a hand to him but he knows he can’t reach her. Instead he looks out for another handhold, anything. He’s never been much of a sports person and he can already feel his muscles betraying him. He can’t let go, he’ll die. Ash’ll die, she won’t survive on her own. Filled with motivation, Chris grabs a hold further up the cliff and slowly makes his way up. He grabs Ashley’s hand and she helps him up. They both fall back in the snow panting.</p>
<p>“That was close, that was so fucking close,” says Chris. Ashley agrees, “Thanks though, for saving me.”</p>
<p>Chris sits up and helps Ashley to her feet. She’s covered in blood, Matt’s blood and now that elk’s blood. It’s strange to see his kind, sweet, innocent, Ashley in quite this state. Then he remembers what she did and his slight standoffish hostility returns, “We need to hurry up. Let’s go.”</p>
<p>Ashley doesn’t argue as they climb over a rocky outcrop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Ashley; Clifftop; 02:21</b>
</p>
<p>Chris helps her down a ledge as they continue their way to the fire tower. She tries to start a conversation, “So if- when we get to the radio… What do we do then?”</p>
<p>Chris shrugs, “Whatever they tell us Ash.”</p>
<p>“Right, right… But what about everyone else? What about Jess and Mike?” Ashley tries again. Chris seems to think about this for a second, “It’s fine, Mike’ll keep Jess outta trouble. We can just direct the rangers to them or whatever. Now come on, we have to get going.”</p>
<p>Ashley gets the message and falls silent, trailing behind Chris. They soon come in sight of the tower, it’s tall and menacing. It moves slightly in the wind making a horrible creaking sound that sends shivers down Ashley’s spine. She jumps when a light suddenly illuminates the area, “Ahh! That’s freakin’ bright!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think it’s just a security light. Come on, it’ll be alright once we’re inside,” says Chris leading the way inside. They start to make their way up the tower, Ashley’s hands are shaking with the cold and she slides on the icy ladder rungs almost making her fall. She can hear Chris trying to control his breathing as they get higher and higher. This must be killing him. When they finally get inside, Chris sit down on the floor and tries not to look out of any of the many windows.</p>
<p>“Hey you alright?” asks Ashley crouching next to him, “You could go back down if you want. I can handle this myself.”</p>
<p>“No way am I leaving you here alone,” says Chris stubbornly.</p>
<p>“I don’t need babysitting Chris,” says Ashley with a chuckle. Chris still shakes his head. Ashley sighs, guys can be so bullheaded.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’m gonna see if I can get the power on. Seems nothing is working. I bet the power box is out on the balcony, do you want to come with me?” Ashley says, Chris ignores her and she exits the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If she’s honest with herself, she’s pretty uncomfortable being out there alone in the wind but she doesn’t want to tell Chris that so she swallows her slight fear and carries on. She spots the power box almost instantly but her curiosity forces her to explore further. She slowly edges her way around the outside of the tower. The view is amazing if not a little intimidating, she can see the lodge and what must be the sanatorium in the distance. She sees a box labelled ‘flare gun’ and grabs the gun from inside. She sees Chris through the window and knocks to show him, grinning. He looks panicked when he sees her.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” he asks, his voice muffled, “Get back in here!”</p>
<p>Ashley rolls her eyes and makes her way back in, turning the power on as she goes. Chris runs over to her and strangles her with an annoyed hug, “Stop messing around! This is serious Ash!”</p>
<p>“I know, I know, I was just trying to keep our spirits up. Y’know so we don’t totally lose it,” says Ashley, “Do want this thing or not anyway.”</p>
<p>Ashley offers him the gun, “It’s not like I know how to use it anyway. It’s probably just like your first person shooters.”</p>
<p>Chris takes the weapon from her without another word and Ashley walks over to the radio.</p>
<p>“H-hello?” she says hopefully into the microphone. There is a loud buzz of white noise and Chris joins her and starts fiddling with some knobs. Soon enough the sound has died out a little and a human voice can be heard though it’s still unintelligible.</p>
<p>“Can you hear me? We need help!” says Ashley, the words flooding out of her like an uncontrollable tsunami. There is a reply, she doesn’t quite make out all the words but it’s definitely something.</p>
<p>“We’re on Blackwood Mountain and- and one of our friends has already been killed…” Ashley says feeling the sobs resurfacing.</p>
<p>“Hello? Can you please identify yourself? Over,” says a voice, loud and clear. Ashley let’s out a sigh of relief, “Okay, okay… My name is Ashley. You can hear me right? Over, over!”</p>
<p>Ashley and Chris jump as the security light activates.</p>
<p>“I hear you ma’am, is everything okay?” asks the voice, “We will send out helicopters to get you as soon as the storm is over but that won’t be until dawn. Do you think you can hang on until then?”</p>
<p>That’s when there is a loud clanging sound and Ashley screams. The tower starts to tip all colour drains from Chris’ face. Ashley rushes over and tries to support him, “Chris, Chris… Just close your eyes. Don’t worry, it’s fine.”</p>
<p>Ashley’s voice betrays her. She is besides herself with fear. The tower tips further and she can feel herself losing her balance. She slips and call out to Chris to grab something as she smashes into the window. Below her she sees a gapping hole in the ground, her eyes go wide with fright.</p>
<p>“ASHLEY!” yells Chris. He is hanging on to a support beam above her. The radio falls and smashes into Ashley, an intense pain floods through her head and she sees spots. She screams as the glass she is lying on breaks and she falls, only just grabbing the railing, “Fuck me. Chris, Jesus!”</p>
<p>The tower slips further and tumbles into the mines in a cloud of snow and rubble. Ashley doesn’t see what is happening, she keeps her eyes firmly closed as she clings to the railing for dear life. Hoping that it won’t break, hoping that nothing falls on her, hoping she survives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Chris; Mines; 02:43</b>
</p>
<p>Chris opens his eyes to an apocalyptic sight. The air is filled with the dust and smoke, the ground shakes and Chris tries to make his way as far from the flames, that have appeared as if from nowhere, as he can. For a spilt second he thinks Ashley must be dead, but then he hears her calling out his name, begging for help. He shimmies along the side of the burning beam towards the sound. He climbs out of one the destroyed windows as the tower shifts again. He looks around desperately for Ashley trying not to look down for fear of fainting. He is horrified to see her crouching on a damaged railing, she is hysterical. Her beanie is missing and he sees a nasty gash across her forehead. He kneels as close to the edge as he can manage and tries to calm her down but she’s not listening.</p>
<p>“Ash, Ash, you’re gonna be fine, we’re gonna be fine. I’m just thinking of the best way of getting to you,” says Chris. Ashley sobs loudly and hopelessly, “Fucks sake Chris! Just help me! Please, please, please… You can’t let me die!”</p>
<p>“I am, just let me think, for to seconds…” growls Chris, “It’s really unstable over here.”</p>
<p>Ashley tries to grab a rail nearby to drag herself up but the tower slips again sending her over the edge. She is holding on, just. Chris takes a deep breath as he looks over the edge.</p>
<p>“P-please Chris!” she cries, her tone is fuelled by fear and anger at his inaction.</p>
<p>“<span>Why’d</span> you do it? Why the prank on Josh?” asks Chris. All noise seems to cease as Chris realises what he said, but he doesn’t try to take it back.</p>
<p>“W-what?” whimpers Ashley, “This is not the freaking time Chris!”</p>
<p>“Come on, I have to know?” says Chris, his voice perfectly level. He watches Ashley’s reaction, the panic vanishes from her face as if she is resigned to her fate, “I was jealous. I was jealous of how much time- of his relationship… How much <em>you</em> cared about him. It was never about him, it was all you Chris. It was all about you. You’re a good person Chris and I made you do something really really terrible. I don’t expect you to forgive me, I wouldn’t…”</p>
<p>And then she smiles. There is something about that smile which imprints itself in Chris’ brain, it’s sad and so full of love.</p>
<p>“And I won’t let you die saving me,” she whispers as she lets go.</p>
<p>“ASHLEY!” screams Chris as she watches Ashley fall into the mass of flame and smoke. Then the tower begins to shift again, he acts fast jumping from the structure before it falls. He lands on a ledge and looks down to where Ashley fell. He can’t believe what happened, Ashley is dead because of him… She saved him, she picked him over herself. He shakes his head, “You’re not dead Ash, I will not stop until I find you and bring you home.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Sam; Old Hotel; 03:11</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam wakes in pitch darkness, wherever she looks there is nothing to see. She closes her eyes and tries to breathe deeply to calm herself and uses her other senses. She feels terrible, like her body has been battered around in a rock tumbler. </span>
  <span>She’s sat down, tied to the chair. It’s relatively warm. </span>
  <span>As she concentrates, </span>
  <span>memories</span>
  <span> begin to re-emerge. </span>
  <span>She feels chill as if someone has frozen her bones.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Beth?” she asks. She hears a sigh and her cheek is hit by a lick of cool air, “Beth. Are you here?”</p>
<p>“I’m here Sam,” says Beth. Her voice is so clear. Sam pushes down her fear, it’s Beth. Actually Beth.</p>
<p>“Why are you doing this Beth?” asks Sam trying to keep her voice steady. Beth’s cool presence leaves her side. There is silence for a minute.</p>
<p>“Beth, don’t be like that,” Sam says, “It’s a perfectly valid question.”</p>
<p>“I wanted to talk to you Sam. It’s very important and I need you to tell me the truth, the full truth.”</p>
<p>Sam nods, “Of course, I’d never lie to you Beth.”</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the words leave her mouth Beth returns to her side. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>You wouldn’t? That’s good… You like a bit of philosophy occasionally. Now I’m going to tell you about two types of lies. </span><span>Lies of omission and… Well it doesn’t really matter does it?” the hateful bitterness is back in Beth’s voice. Sam feels her panic building. She’s stuck, trapped and being interrogated by an angry ghost, in some ways it’s Sam worst fear. Beth continues, “A lie of omission is when you foster another’s misconception. For example if a person said that they’d done something many times, which is true but they haven’t in many years. You might also tell what could be called a white lie, an attempt to spare another’s feelings, that sounds a little more like you now doesn’t it Sam? Shall I give an example? </span><span>You might tell a person that you love them not because it’s true but to protect that person.”</span></p>
<p>Sam knows where this is going and she feels sick.</p>
<p>“A person may also neglect to tell their partner that they are in love with someone else,” says Beth, “There’s the omission…”</p>
<p>There is silence, Sam cannot bring herself to speak. Her throat is dry.</p>
<p>“I would have a married you Sam. I loved you more than anything in the world. I wanted to spend my entire life with you by my side and I was so so so certain that you wanted the same thing at first. But you didn’t did you? You dated me out of pity. Sure you loved me, as a friend. And because of your insufferable selflessness you would have stayed with me forever. You would have been miserable to make me happy, I guess it’s good for you that I died prematurely.”<br/>“That’s not true Beth!” shouts Sam in distress, “I loved you! I love you!”</p>
<p>Beth laughs, her voice now filled with mania, “I don’t think you did. But I’ll give you a chance to prove it, if you want.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly the room is filled with light. Sam blinks as her eyes become accustomed to the atmosphere. Her heart seems to stop when she sees Emily, </span>
  <span>passed out</span>
  <span> in front of her. They’re sat at a table, a gun between them, saws above their heads. Beth stands behind Emily her face is even more gaunt than it was the last time Sam saw her, she smiles her teeth are dripping with blood. The binding around one of Sam’s wrists comes lose. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Okay, so this is how this game works,” says Beth, </span><span>she whispers in Emily’s ear waking her from her slumber. She stirs blinking confusion and fear, “Sam? What’s happening? What’s going on?”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Beth doesn’t give Sam time to respond, </span>
  <span>“You have a choice. If you ever loved me, shoot Emily, rid yourself of </span>
  <span>your unfaithful lust</span>
  <span>. If you love her, shoot yourself and I </span>
  <span>promise I’ll</span>
  <span> let her live.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>am’s doesn’t know what to do as the saws spring to life. She looks into Emily’s eyes. Beth isn’t wrong, she loved Emily when she was still dating Beth but even more horribly </span>
  <span>Beth’s</span>
  <span> right that she never loved her. Not in the way that Beth loved Sam. Not in the way Sam loves Emily. Sam clearly remembers the day back in 2011 when Bath asked her out. She had known for ages that Beth was </span>
  <span>in love with her, everyone knew. Sam had spent sleepless nights trying to think of how to turn her down but when the time came she said yes. That was the start of one of the biggest most convoluted deceptions of Sam’s life. She has always been a bit of a practiced liar, it sounds bad but it’s actually not. She likes to prevent conflict and help people and in order to do that she had to change herself for each person, slowly but surely it became unclear who the </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sam was. This never bothered her, she knew who the real Sam was. The real Sam was the one who wanted everyone to be happy, wanted everyone to get what they wanted. So she dated Beth and created a Sam who truly did love her and she experienced joy through knowing Beth was happy. But then Emily became a more prominent part of her life and Sam could feel herself falling for her. She remembers the torture she put herself through </span>
  <span>in order</span>
  <span> to repress her feelings. It wasn’t something she’d ever had </span>
  <span>trouble</span>
  <span> with before but she had never experienced emotions quite as strong as these before. </span>
  <span>Eventually she knew it would tear her apart but then Beth went missing </span>
  <span>before she could do anything about it </span>
  <span>and the part of Sam that did actually love Beth was shredded to pieces. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>In the months that followed, everything that made Sam Sam came falling down. Her whole system was broken. She found herself exposed, unable to react properly to other people. That was when she came to the realisation</span> <span>that she had never taken a moment for herself, she realised that she was miserable. More than miserable, she had spent so long caring for others that she had no idea how to care for herself. It was only after she started dating Emily that she began to recover. But she didn’t just return to how she was before, she started taking more for herself and improved herself. It was Emily who allowed her to transition into the person she is. She’s still working on it, she’s still recovering, but it’</span><span>s</span><span> Emily who’s been there with her through it </span><span>all</span><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s only once she’s snapped back to reality that Sam realises she’s holding the gun and has it pointed through Emily’s eye. Emily is crying in fear but Sam can’t hear anything. She sees Beth’s eye trained on her, watching her every move. The saws are slowly moving, do nothing and you both die. Sam feels like a spirit watching herself, aiming the gun at her girlfriend, the girl that she loves. Why would she shoot? Why is she trying to prove that she loved Beth, Beth is dead. Sam wills her hand to move away from Emily. She gently rests the gun against her temple, she’s crying, Emily’s crying, Beth just watches. She feels herself shaking as she rests her finger on the trigger.</p>
<p>“Sam! No, no… You can’t please, please! I can’t lose you,” screams Emily but Sam still can’t hear her.</p>
<p>“<span>Beth, I loved you but I love Emily too and she’s here, she’s alive. I’m so sorry Beth,” Sam says as she pulls the trigger. There is a bang of a gun shot and Emily screams. </span></p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was feeling a little angsty while writing Sam.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 7: Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Matt; Washington Lodge Basement; 03:05</b>
</p>
<p>He’s starting to hate the feeling of that damned suit, it’s too warm, too close. It sticks to him like the guilt that’s starting to form. Did Emily really deserve that? Really?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sound of laughter and incoherent babble echoes around the empty corridors. Matt creeps around looking for the source the sound in concern. He jumps when he feels a hand grasps his ankle.</p>
<p>“Ha ha ha! Got your nose!” laughs Jessica falling over backwards in hysterics. Matt crouches down, he wasn’t expecting to see Jessica. She shouldn’t be here, she should be at the cabin with Mike. He gasps when he sees her through a grate in the floor. She’s half naked, wearing only a bra and Mike’s jacket on her top half, her body is covered in cuts, her face is bruised and she is missing two of her fingers. Not to mention that she seems to have totally lost her mind.</p>
<p>“Jessica?” Matt says alarmed.</p>
<p>“Dat’s ma name,” slurs Jess. Did she hit her head or something? From the look of her, it’s much worse than just a small bump.</p>
<p>“Okay, uh, wait there a sec Jess. I’ll come round to you,” he says walking away from the grate. He rushes round and pulls a door open and runs over to Jessica. She’s in an even worse state than he thought, what the hell happened? No one was meant to get hurt but Jess has obviously hadn’t go that memo. He tries to help her to her feet but her legs just give out as she crumbles back to the floor. She’s still struggling and laughing, she’s going to hurt herself more. Matt tries to hold her still and after a few seconds she falls still and look up into his eyes. It’s as if a light has been turned on in her head. The joviality disappears from her face.</p>
<p>“T-this isn’t a dream is it Matt?” she asks haltingly. Matt shakes his head, his imagination goes wild, what possibly could have happened to beat Jess up so bad.</p>
<p>“Mike…” Jess says quietly, “He’s actually dead?”</p>
<p>Matt does a double take, no way can Jess be telling the truth. Mike can’t be dead. No one was supposed to get hurt!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Matt’s head whips round as he hears a sound of screaming. Shit, shit shit! The fuck is happening?Matt looks back down at the wide eyed Jessica.</p>
<p>“I need to check that out but I’m not leaving you here. Do you mind if I carry you?” he asks. Jessica shakes her head and clings to Matt’s neck as he lifts her onto his back. As soon as she is secure Matt runs from the room charging towards another door. He flings it open to the sound of a gun shot, “Sam stop!!” he yells but it’s too late. Emily screams as Sam’s head hits the table. Matt drops Jessica off his back, trying to be gentle. He rushes over to Sam and shakes her shoulders, she’s not dead thank god. He turns to ‘<em>Beth</em>’ and loses his shit, “What the FUCK Hannah!!”</p>
<p>Hannah begins to laugh, Emily whips her head around in anger fear and devastation.</p>
<p>“What is this? What did you do?!” Matt yells.</p>
<p>“This too much for you Matthew?” asks Hannah sweetly, “Kidnapping and faking your own death is okay but this isn’t?”</p>
<p>“You made Sam shoot herself! You’re a fucking maniac!” says Matt tears streaming down his face but he knows it’s not fair to put all the blame on Hannah. Emily looks from Matt to Hannah and back again.</p>
<p>“Hannah? What the hell is going on? I thought you were <em>dead</em> Matt!” shouts Emily. Matt can’t handle all this at once. When Hannah told him she wanted to prank the others to get back at them for what they did to Josh he happily agreed. He didn’t realise how bad it would be until he was in too deep. Hannah was so happy and he wanted to stay with her. He thought it would be better if he was there, he would limit how far it would go… That’s what he told himself. But rather than limiting it, he had enabled it and participated in the torture of his friends. If that’s not enough, it seems that Hannah went even further than they had discussed. None of the plans had ever involved Sam beyond scaring Emily, and Jessica and Mike were not supposed to be involved until way later and now Mike’s dead. How did he let this happen? How did he not see that Hannah had totally lost it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on Matt! No one’s hurt. Sam’ll be fine in a few minutes, true I didn’t expect her to pass out but it’ll be okay,” says Hannah. That’s when Jessica finally manages to struggle to her feet. She seems totally consumed with anger and hatred. She drags her weak and broken body towards Hannah like something out of a horror <span>movie</span>. Everyone is silent watching her with horror. She comes to a stand still in front of Hannah.</p>
<p>“Mike’s dead,” she growls as she raises the gun that she has clench in her fist.</p>
<p>“Jess don’t!” Matt cries out as Jess brings the gun down on her head knocking her out. All the energy seems to drain from her and she falls to the ground.</p>
<p>“Jessica!” calls out Emily straining against her bonds. Matt rushes over to help her.</p>
<p>“Get away from me you pig!” she spits. Matt knows he deserves that but it still hurts, “Come on Em. There’s no one else here to help you and we need to get Jess out of this fucking basement.”</p>
<p>Emily reluctantly concedes and Matt does her bindings before moving on to Sam.</p>
<p>“No! I’ll get Sam, you stay the fuck away from her,” says Emily shoving him out the way. Matt watches from afar as Emily tends to Sam and Jessica afraid to get involved.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Ashley; Mines; 03:00</b>
</p>
<p>Ashley tries not to scream as she falls, it wouldn’t be fair on Chris. She braces herself, her life flashing before her eyes, preparing for her imminent demise. She’s jarringly surprised when she comes to a sudden halt, her leg tangled in a rope. She opens her eyes and witnesses the gaping, flaming hole beneath her and covers her mouth in shock, “Jesus freaking fuck…”</p>
<p>She knows she can’t stay there long, she has to do something or she really is going to die. She notices a ledge to her left and she takes a deep breath before starting to swing getting ready to grab the ledge. Suddenly she feels her lifeline break and she is certain that she’s going to fall but her flailing arms manage to catch the edge and she pulls herself up. She lies panting in the dirt wishing she had paid more attention in ‘climbing class’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She snaps back into focus when she hears the fire tower, which is still lodged above her, move. She tries to get out of the way before it falls. She succeeds to get out of the way just in time </span>
  <span>to</span>
  <span> watch the ledge she was sitting on only seconds before smashed to pieces by the falling tower. A piece of debr</span>
  <span>is hits her shin but she is otherwise unharmed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Deciding that it would be sensible to get the fuck out of there. Ashley climbs to her feet and reaches for her beanie which she likes to play with for comfort and is upset when she finds it gone.</p>
<p>“Missing in action… Poor beanie,” she sighs. She scrunches up her eyes as she squints into the darkness. She picks up a stick from the ground, part of the destroyed tower and uses it along with a strip off the bottom of her shirt to make a torch which she sets alight.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna freeze down here if I’m not careful,” she says to herself, “Hope I don’t have to burn any more of my clothes…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A passageway is revealed by the light and Ashley starts to follow it, hoping that she’ll find some way to the surface. </span>
  <span>Soon the passageway opens up into a cavernous room containing an elevator. Ashley runs over to it and pulls the handle but nothing happens. She wasn’t really expecting anything to happen, everything in the cavern looks broken. Still, she’s disappointed.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Mines… Who knew there were mines under Blackwood Mountain,” says Ashley as she steps out of the elevator. That’s actually a good question, as far as she knows no one really knows about the mines. If the Washingtons’ do then they keep it quiet… Why would they? </span><span>What is being hidden? </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her friends often remind her that ‘curiosity killed the cat’ and she always responded ‘…but satisfaction brought it back’ but in this particular case she can see that her friends are probably right. That doesn’t stop Ashley from aching to explore, to find out what happened in these lost, abandoned mines.</p>
<p>“Come on Ash, power. Let’s see if we can get power,” she says to herself. She looks up to a man made structure, the controls seem to be up there. A sudden screech and a blast of fiery light makes her jump, “What the hell? Where?”</p>
<p>
  <span>She tries to see where the disturbance came from but the darkness is impenetrable. Ashley gets back on task, beginning to climb the ladder to the control station. That’s when she really starts to notice her various injuries, her shin burns and she feels dizzy from her head wound. She takes a moment, her hands resting on the platform. Mistake. </span>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he ladder suddenly falls backwards sending her sprawling into the darkness below, “Ow! Fuck. God damn…” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hits the ground far below, it’s so dark she can’t see her hand in front of her face. She tries to spot where she came from but there is no sign of her torch. She fumbles around in her pocket praying she still has her phone. To her intense relief it comes to life and she turns on the </span>
  <span>
    <span>flashlight.</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> She faced with a pile of skulls and human remains, she jumps backwards in fright but manages to calm herself down. She examines the bones, nudging them with her feet. She notices that some large leg bones have been broken up, the nutritious insides removed. That’s not an accident, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>something or </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>som</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>eone did that on purpose. Ashley turns her head away suddenly wary, there’s something down here that has the ability to devour a human… A bear maybe?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ashley moves away from the remains and continues on her way smashing her way through some wooden planks. In the next cavern she finds a small rest area, in a box is a photograph of a miner and his family. On the reverse a message wishing him a safe return.</p>
<p>“<span><span>Doesn’t look like something he would just leave. I guess he didn’t makes it,” says Ashley as she passes her light over the smiling faces of the family. </span></span><span><span>She pockets the photo, maybe she will be able to return it to his family. Finding nothing else of interest in the room Ashley finds the only way out is up a broken ladder. She loathes to climb but she knows she has to or there is no hope of escape. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>She reaches the top out of breath and heaving, “I really should have taken up Sam’s offer of climbing lessons…”</p>
<p>As she is lying there, her phone buzzes as it runs out of battery plunging her into darkness, “Fuck, mother of…! Calm yourself Ash…”</p>
<p>She feels around in the darkness, careful not to fall off the ledge she climbed to. She sees a flicker of light. Her torch? She makes her way towards it and is glad to see she was correct. She grabs it and makes her way to the power controls. The room comes to life with a buzz of joy. Ashley smiles, “Victory! Now to find the way down.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>A set of stairs leading out of the cave looks like a good bet, they seem sturdy enough. Ashley follows the path until she reaches a much brighter cavern. She looks for the source of the light, the moon. Ashley let’s out a sigh of relief as the icy fresh air hits her lungs. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Unfortunately, there is no way she’ll be able to climb out but it’s still nice to see the sky. That’s when she notices an axe lying on the ground, she recognises it, “Chris!” </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>This must be the bottom of the cliff that Chris almost fell off earlier. Ashley dislodges the axe from the ground, she feels safer with an axe. At least she’ll have something to protect herself from the bear or whatever it is. Ashley looks around for another exit from the cave. On top of a barrel she sees another piece of paper, she expects it’s another picture of the miners though she is curious about how it survived so long so near to the elements. When she picks it up she gasps, it’s a photograph of Beth and Sam. She recognises it, she took it on a hiking trip years ago. That means Beth must have been here… Maybe Josh as well. Could they have fallen off the very same cliff that almost claimed Chris’ life? Ashley’s fear is entirely trumped by her desire to find out what happened to her missing friends. She is filled with determination searching the darkness for any other signs of their being there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There, Beth’s beanie. She never took the thing off, quite like her in that respect. They always used to make hat jokes together, it drove the others crazy. Ashley shudders missing her own beanie. An image flashes through her head of one of the others, Sam or Emily maybe, discovering her beanie down here in a years time wondering what happened to her… She shakes the idea from her head, she can’t think like that. She almost leaves the beanie behind but something stops her. This was really important to Beth, Hannah should have it. She puts it on her head, not sure where else to put it, it’ll help fend off the cold of the caves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Ashley continues the scan the cave, determined not to miss a single clue alluding to Beth and Josh’s presence.<br/>“Josh… Oh god,” Ashley whispers as spots a cross with his name scratched into it. It’s </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>his grave. A date is scratched next to his name the 2</span>
  </span>
  <sup>
    <span>
      <span>nd</span>
    </span>
  </sup>
  <span>
    <span> February 2014 and his age, 19 years. That’s exactly a year ago, he must have died from the fall. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Ashley is hit with a fresh wave of guilt but tries to shove it aside for the time being. She has a duty and a craving to discover what happened here a year ago. She wants to be able to put Josh and Beth’s souls to rest in the knowledge that they found them and brought them home. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>A faint sound of running water grabs Ashley’s </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>attention, suddenly </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>she realises</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> how thirsty she is. She follows the sound, running water from the mountains is supposed to be alright to drink right? </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She moves a metal door to the side clearing a path towards the water. She glances around and spots a strange shadow, almost humanoid. Ashley gulps as she lights up the area.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>No god, Josh… Oh my god,” Ashley cries as she stumbles backwards, it’s Josh’s decapitated head. </span></span><span><span>Ashley takes a moment to compose herself after the initial horror of finding Josh.</span></span><span><span> The fall couldn’t have done that to him, something brought his </span></span><span><span>head</span></span><span><span> here. It could have been Beth… </span></span><span><span>But why? And where’s his body? There are so many questions. </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Ashley continues on her way, slightly disturbed by her seemingly apathetic reaction to the horrifying story she is uncovering </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>t</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>hough she knows it’s her </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>methodical </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>coping mechanism kicking in. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She finds herself back at the elevator which she managed to get running and pulls the lever hoping to reach the surface. It doesn’t. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a loud shriek and the sound of running feet. Ashley quickly springs into action running round the corner, she is confronted by a man his face covered with a cloth sprinting from an unknown figure. He spots her and his eyes go wide. She growls dropping her torch and holds her axe with both hands. She charges at the figure.</p>
<p>“No!” shouts the man trying to stop her but she smashes the figure with the axe and it shrieks. The man then turns and douses with flame. Time to go. Ashley pulls out the axe and runs from the scene her heart racing. Did she just murder someone? Was it a bear? Who’s that guy? Fuck, he’s probably the Psycho who killed Matt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She trips through the darkness, hoping there is nowhere to fall. There is another ear-piercing shriek. The darkness eventually envelopes her completely, she cannot go any further. She fumbles and presses herself against the wall holding as still as she can hoping neither the man or whatever was following him finds her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A bright light appears seconds later, accompanied by the man.</p>
<p>“Are you here? Kid?” he calls. That doesn’t sound like someone who’s going to murder her, maybe that’s just her naivety talking but she can’t just sit here in the dark waiting for something to kill her. She steps into the light and the man breathes a sigh of relief, “Okay, good.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>T</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>here is another shriek coming from behind them and he turns round in a flurry. He chucks a small bag at her, “Here, use these and get the hell outta here!”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>He shoves her and she goes tumbling down further into darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Sam; Washington Lodge Basement; 03:26</b>
</p>
<p>Sam wakes up. She didn’t expect to wake up. Emily’s terrified face is level with hers.</p>
<p>“Em?” Sam murmurs as she sits up. She is attacked by a tight embrace, she can feels Emily’s wet tears on her shoulder. Sam doesn’t have the strength to return the gesture. She’s so confused, she shot herself, she should be dead.</p>
<p>“Did I die? Is Beth…” Sam asks. Emily loosens her grip and shakes her head, “You’re not dead Sam. It was a prank, a trick by those two ass holes.”</p>
<p>Emily motions towards the side of the room where Matt sits looking miserable with the motionless body of Hannah, who’s make up has mostly been washed off.</p>
<p>“Oh my god Hannah! Is she okay?” asks Sam, still not quite sure of what happened. Emily looks annoyed, “She’s fine but Sam… Look I know she’s your best friend but she tortured you, she pretended to be Beth and then persuaded you to shoot yourself.”</p>
<p>Sam shakes her head, Hannah wouldn’t do something like that. It’s not possible. She would have believed it had it been Josh or even Beth but not Han… And Matt? That’s just ridiculous. But Emily’s face is so harshly sincere.</p>
<p>“<span>No, no you’re lying. </span><span>You’ve made a mistake,</span><span>” Sam says trying to push Emily away but Emily doesn’t budge. </span><span>She’s not lying and Sam knows it. </span><span>She can see Emily’s </span>patience is running low. That’s when Matt speaks up, “She’s not lying. She’s not mistaken…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sam normally has a tight control over her emotions and feelings, tempering her responses to things in order to balance everyone else and yet in this moment she is unable to control anything. Her brain is a crazy mix of devastated anger, betrayal and violent sadness. The worst part is she understands why Hannah did what she did because in spite of everything she was still right about her and Beth. Sam cries out, she can’t take it. She can’t. She smashes her hands off the ground entirely unable to speak or to comprehend. Everything is so bright, every sound is so loud. She grabs her head and squeezes pulling at her hair trying to remove the block in her mind which is causing her such intense pain. </span>
  <span>She feels Emily try to calm her down, she sees the panic and worry in her eyes along with anger. She allows Emily to hold her trying to not move. Tears drain from her eyes, her head is throbbing. She squeezes Emily trying not to scratch her. </span>
</p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Emily whispers, “I’m here Sam. I’m here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God what must Emily think of her? Sam has never broken down like that in front of anyone before. This isn’t the Sam that Emily was promised.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry Em…” she says eventually.</p>
<p>“For what?” asks Emily genuinely confused.</p>
<p>“I’m such a mess, I’m not supposed to be a mess.”</p>
<p>Emily takes her by the shoulders and looks at her straight in the eyes, “Honey, I would be more concerned if you weren’t a mess.”</p>
<p>“It’s just, this isn’t how I am… I’m not,” tries Sam and Emily just pulls her in for another hug.</p>
<p>“Samantha Giddings. We all love how much you care for everyone. We see how much you try to keep everyone happy and we know how much it takes out of you. And you don’t have to do it just now. Let me look after you for once. You can lean on me. I love you Sam,” says Emily softly, “I love you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Jessica; Washington Lodge Grounds; 03:41</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>J</span>
  <span>essica had expected a little more resistance from Sam when Emily suggested tying Hannah up in the shed. She did however put her foot down when she included Matt saying it is entirely obvious that Matt was one, manipulated and two, not as bad as Hannah. </span>
  <span>Emily had begrudgingly agreed with the understanding that he wasn’t forgiven and that he was to be under the constant watch of Sam in the lodge. Once they were out of the view of the lodge and Sam, Emily got suddenly more hard with Hannah.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Come on guys! Seriously… This is crazy, crazy y’know?” says Hannah has Emily shoves her roughly towards the shed. </span></p>
<p>“Crazy is what you did to Sam! She was your best friend Han… She loved you,” growls Emily.</p>
<p>“She’ll get over it, you’ll see. I’ll still be here when you leave her heart broken in a ditch somewhere you slut,” murmurs Hannah.</p>
<p>“What did you say? What did you fucking say?” Emily yells grabbing Hannah by the front of the shirt. Hannah laughs, “What you doin? A Mike impression? Doesn’t suit you gonna be honest.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare say his name!” shouts Jessica kicking Hannah to the ground. Hannah falls but continues laughing. Jessica and Emily share a worried glance. They make a silent agreement to try to keep their heads on straight. Emily pulls Hannah back to her feet but she is obviously trying to be a little more gentle.</p>
<p>“<span>Hit a nerve?” sneers Hannah. When did Hannah get so mean? After </span><span>they</span><span> accidentally caused the deaths of her two siblings… </span><span>They try to ignore Hannah’s comments as they make their way to the shed. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hannah continues to plead her innocence of killing Mike. She keeps repeating that she never meant anyone to get hurt.</p>
<p>“<span>If you didn’t mean anyone to get hurt, then maybe you shouldn’t’ve frozen Sam half to death!” hisses Emily. Jessica puts a hand on Emily’s shoulder trying to calm her friend but she can feel her own anger bubbling back to the surface. When they reach the shed they tie Hannah to a wooden stump. She doesn’t resist, “I know, I know what I did was wrong… I know… Don’t hurt Matt alright? He didn’t know what he was doing. I-I used him. It’s not his fault.”</span></p>
<p>As angry as Jess is, she does appreciate the way she tries to protect Matt. He obviously had some clue of what was going on, apparently he faked his own death and helped in kidnapping Emily. It really doesn’t sound like Matt…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Ow! Not so tight! Leave me some room no?” complains Hannah. Emily scowls at her </span><span>and pulls them tighter causing Hannah to scream. She</span><span> stands up to admire her handy work. </span><span>Hannah begins to whimper again muttering about Mike, “I didn’t </span><span>hurt </span><span>him, I didn’t hurt anyone… It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me. You’d think I’d remember wouldn’t you?”</span></p>
<p>“Shut up! SHUT UP you prick!” yells Jessica pointing her gun at her. Emily suddenly jumps into action, “Woah Jess…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah… You know what it’s like to have a gun pointed at you don’t you Emily? It’s not nice, not nice at all,” whispers Hannah through gritted teeth. Emily totally loses it grabbing a wooden board and gets ready to swing it at Hannah, “Don’t you fucking dare! She wasn’t gonna shoot me, she loves me.”</p>
<p>Hannah laughs again, it’s hard to watch, “You sure about that Em? I’m pretty sure I saw her finger on the trigger. Are you sure she loves you? Did she ever actually say she loves you?”</p>
<p>Emily lunges at her, Jessica only just manages to stop her. Emily struggles but not much, she growls in frustration and fury.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She takes Jess to the side, “You should get back to the lodge, you’re injured. They probably have something they can fix you up with. Ash and Chris have gone to get help, they should be back soon.”</p>
<p>Jessica nods and turns to leave but then notices Hannah has suddenly gone silent, her face filled with dread.</p>
<p>“Wait. Han? What’s up?” she asks. Hannah shakes her head muttering. Jessica kneels by her taking her shoulders roughly but not violently, “Hannah?”</p>
<p>“The- the key… For the car, the cable car. Ash and Chris they can’t’ve,” Hannah trails off, “I have the key.”</p>
<p>
  <span>The news sinks in. Jessica had been wondering what had happened to Ashley and Chris. One part of her had held out hope that they were at still at the lodge but she knew that that wasn’t likely. Hannah begins to cry and mutter, unintelligibly apologising mostly to Sam but also to Ashley. Emily gives Jessica a worried look, she’s obviously seriously upset by this news, </span>
  <span>a</span>
  <span>nother two people to add to their list of missing or dead. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Jess, you’ve got to go. You’re in no state to be out here. I’ll wait here</span><span>, </span><span>in the morning some of us can hike down the mountain to get help,” says Emily. Jessica nods, she doesn’t want to leave Emily alone with Hannah but she knows she’s right. Her body hurts and not just a little. She’s bleeding heavily and god her hair is a mess.</span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 8: Transformations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Ashley; Mines; 04:01</b>
</p><p>Ashley clutches the axe and the bag that the Stranger had thrown her as she slides downwards. Her mind is going crazy, what the hell was that thing? Did it get Josh and Beth? She hits the bottom with a thud and reaches into the bag lighting a flare to show the way. It’s just more fucking tunnels! Ashley is so badly bruised and battered by this point that she could be dying and she wouldn’t even know she’s no numb to the pain. Her vision flickers occasionally and each time she says to herself, this is it but she always goes on.</p><p> </p><p>Something catches her eye, a symbol is drawn on the wall in red paint or blood. Ashley examines it further, it’s a skull with antlers. Ashley recognises it from somewhere but she can’t quite place it, it looks old and mystical. She rubs the walls around it hoping to jog her memory but she is soon distracted by a loud shriek.</p><p> </p><p>Ashley flicks her head around searching the darkness for the monster but there is no sign of it. She lets out a long breath as she begins to make her way slowly and quietly down the long passage. There are more bones, human. She’s in no doubt now that whatever is down here isn’t a simple bear and it hunts humans. Beth and Josh’s disappearance is making more and more sense now.</p><p> </p><p>She comes into a large room, the only exit is a narrow crack between some rocks. Ashley takes a deep breath and starts to shimmy her way through the passageway. Suddenly there a loud crack as a monstrous hand breaks through the old wooden boards in front of her and tries to grab her. Ashley screams and takes off at a run.</p><p> </p><p>She isn’t thinking, all her reactions are subconscious. She trips, another hand reaching for her and scratching her arm, dropping her flare. She stumbles back to her feet and keeps running holding her bleeding arm, “Oh, shit, shit shit!”</p><p>She darts across a bridge jumping the gap landing neatly on the other side. She takes a moment to glance backwards, the monster is climbing up the walls towards her, she keeps running. A few braziers light her way towards an elevator. She comes to a fork in the path, she runs right and a monster appears in front of her voicing it’s terrible scream.</p><p> </p><p>Everything slows for a second, she looks the creature up and down. It’s burnt, it’s skin hangs loosely from it’s skeletal frame and dark fluid, maybe it’s blood, leaks from it’s mouth and eyes. This monster is severely injured. Ashley yells as she swings the axe at the creature’s neck. There is a crack and a deafening and oddly human scream as it’s head tumbles to the ground. Ashley backs away and runs for the elevator, there are others like it all over the place, she can’t afford to stick around.</p><p> </p><p>Ashley pulls the handle and the elevator springs to life. She looks down at her injured arm, that thing really did a number on it. Black goo and dirt line the wound, “Fuck, I hope it’s not infected…”</p><p>The elevator grinds to a halt and Ashley readies herself to run but she feels a disgusting presence behind her and she freezes. The faint ragged breathing of the monster sends shivers through her body and she moves. It spots her instantly it’s hand smashing through the back of the elevator towards Ashley’s head. She dodges out of the way but not quite quick enough, it’s nail scratches the surface of Ashley’s eye gouging a clean cut through the fragile tissue. Ashley screams, it hurts so much. She’s going to die, she knows she has to die but yet again she doesn’t. Something kicks in, something primal, a survival instinct so powerful that is sends tremors through Ashley’s broken body and she runs.</p><p> </p><p>She’s at the surface, some kind of ore processing place? She pulls a chain causing rocks to fall behind her, then she kicks over a barrel trying to stop of the monster in it’s tracks but it easily evades the obstacles. Then she has an idea, the barrel has a flammable warning on it, she lights flare as she runs tossing it onto the fallen barrel causing a bright explosion. It buys her a little time. She pulls a lever and climbs onto a moving conveyor belt. She runs up it, assisted in speed by the movement. The is a loud grinding sound as the rock crusher at the end springs to life. Ashley’s heart beats in her chest, crushed in a grinder what a horrible way to go. She jumps, easily clearing the pit. A shriek reminds her of the other impending deadly threats.</p><p> </p><p>Ashley scrambles to her feet and sprints through a small shed locking a wooden door behind her. She stops and doubles over in pain and overexertion but she’s not of the woods yet. The monster, in one last attempt to take her life, smashes through the door and sinks it’s teeth deep into her shoulder. Ashley cries out but manages to get away. She sees a power line leading towards the ground far bellow. She holds the axe with both hands hooking it over the cord and zip lines her way to safety from the monster. She reaches the end of the line and her axe snaps sending her spiralling towards the ground. She lands in the soft snow and picks herself up. Still holding what remains of her trusty axe she discards the bottom end. She hears another monster scream and she runs. In the distance, Ashley spots the lights of the lodge. The lodge! The others will be there, Sam and Hannah and Emily, maybe Chris made it back? A crunch in the forest causes Ashley to scream as she barrels towards the lodge.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Sam; Washington Lodge; 04:18</b>
</p><p>Sam crouches on the couch behind Jessica, carefully trimming her hair. Matt snorts from his place on the floor, “Do you girls not have anything better to do than fix your hair?”</p><p>“You don’t get an opinion meathead!” says Jessica sharply as she turns her head to look at him. Sam places a calming hand on her shoulder, “If you move, I’ll mess it up even more.”</p><p>Jessica takes a breath and holds still again. If she’s honest, Sam understands Matt’s frustration at them but they have nothing better to do. Sam has done all she can for the various wounds and injuries they all carry. Jessica has already been impressively mummified with sheets and other clean cloths they found in the lodge and she was getting stressed out until Sam offer to fix her normally beautiful hair. Matt was given the task of ripping more cloth into bandages, not that they expect to need them but it’s always good to be prepared. The sound of the splitting cloth is unnerving.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s this?” asks Sam holding a hand held mirror out to Jessica. She’s cut her hair into a cute short style like one of those Korean pop idols Jessica worships and swears will become popular one day. Jessica smiles widely and gives Sam a squeeze, “Thanks Sam. It looks lovely.”</p><p>Sam’s face brightens, she love it when she helps others and out of all the things she’s done for Jess over the last half hour she really does seem happiest with the hair cut. Jessica has always been very careful with her appearance, it’s good to keep those parts of you even in times of crisis, it keeps you human.</p><p> </p><p>Their uneasy peace is broken when they hear a scream from out side the lodge. Sam jumps to her feet followed by Matt and Jessica.</p><p>“Emily!?” Sam calls but it’s not Emily, it’s Ashley. She bangs on the door screaming, “Let me it! Let me IN!”</p><p>Sam quickly swings it open and Ashley basically falls on top of her crying for them to shut the door. She looks a mess, her hair is matted covered in blood and some black gooey substance, her clothes are ripped to shreds exposing many deep wounds on her arms leg and torso. She clutches half a bloody axe to her chest her eyes filled with animalistic fury, or they would be if she still had both her eyes. One of them is filled with blood and is obviously destroyed. She looks a little like a more badass and beat up version of Lara Croft.</p><p>“Ash are you okay?” asks Sam as she and Matt help her into the Great Room and lower her onto a couch.</p><p>“You were screaming bloody murder,” says Matt.</p><p>Ashley takes a moment to compose herself, “I didn’t think I was going to make it…”</p><p>“It was a prank Ash, it was me and Hannah,” says Matt, “It was all a prank.”</p><p>“No! You’re not listening! There was a monster it was chasing me and oh god… god!”</p><p>Sam puts a blanket over her friend’s shoulders then starts looking for the medical kit she was using on Jessica while the others drill her with questions.</p><p>“Where’s Chris?” asks Jess and Ashley sobs, “The mines… The tower, we went to the tower to contact- to get help but it fell and Chris, god Chris- I don’t know if he made it.”</p><p>“What mines?” asks Matt in a panic.</p><p> </p><p>Ashley begins to spin a terrifying tale of the horrors she saw in the mines. She seems to be trying to piece bits of information together as she goes. She starts talking about a mine complex that she discovered running all through the mountain, Jessica occasionally chimes in offer new information gained from her own adventure. Together they theorise about the fates of a set of miners who went missing around Blackwood in the 50s, an elaborate cover up of an incident that led to the closure of both the mines and the sanatorium. Then she gets to Beth and Josh, she starts to break down in tears as she talks about the evidence of their presence, the confirmation of Josh’s death and the hints that Beth survived the fall. Sam’s stomach clenches as she thinks of Beth, she feels betrayed not only by Hannah but also Beth despite knowing she had nothing to do with the incident at all.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Ashley stops talk as if she has just realised something. Sam looks up from her work tending to Ashley wounds, “You okay?”</p><p>“The symbol,” Ashley murmurs, “It’s… The monsters- they’re Wendigos. Like from the myths. Spirits that inhabit the bodies of humans that have succumbed to their base instincts of savagery.”</p><p>Sam feels her hands begin to shake. Hannah and Matt can’t have faked this and from the look on Matt’s face they didn’t. That means that there actually are monsters on the mountain… Her worst fears are being realised before her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>That’s when Emily runs in, she immediately spots them all huddled around Ashley and catches her in a hug, “Ash. Ashley, god I thought you were dead.”</p><p>The two separate and Emily looks to Sam for an explantation but Sam isn’t thinking about that, if Emily is here then Hannah is out there alone with that Wendigo monster or whatever it is. Sam stands up, tossing her work aside.</p><p>“I need to get Hannah,” she announces before running out the door. She hears Emily call out to her, the distress in the voice is clear but she doesn’t turn back. No matter what Hannah did she doesn’t deserve the death that will come to her if she’s left out there alone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Emily; Washington Lodge; 04:29</b>
</p><p>Emily wants to go after Sam but she knows she can’t. She looks at the ragtag group she has been left with. She’s entirely in the dark on what is going on now but she knows that she is the only one among them with any ability to lead. Jessica is strong but she’s always been a follower, Ash is a broken mess and Matt cannot be trusted. No. Her friends need her more than Sam does. Sam is strong. Sam’ll be fine, so will Hannah.</p><p>“Okay guys,” she starts but she is interrupted by a loud banging on the door. She and Jessica exchange worried looks. Emily grabs Ashley axe while Jessica picks up her gun and they go to the door.</p><p>“You want to open it and I’ll get ready to shoot,” says Jessica and Emily nods taking hold of the handle and flinging it open. A hulking figure limps in, a gun in his hands and a massive tank on his back. Jessica moves backwards holding the gun telling the man to stop but he easily disarms her. Emily lunges at him with the axe but he deflect her blow and the weapons clatters to the ground.</p><p>Ashley and Matt run through at the sound of the struggle and Ashley calls out to stop, obviously recognising the stranger. Emily and Jessica both back off and the Stranger ushers them all back into the Great Room, they grab their weapons on the way.</p><p> </p><p>The Stranger nods to Ashley in thanks then stares them down.</p><p>“Are you here to warn us about the Wendigos?” asks Emily shortly. The man seems to stumble over his words obviously not expecting them to have any idea what they were up against. Ashley gives Emily a glare, “I figured it out in the mines… With all the bones and teeth and y’know.”</p><p>The Stranger nods, “Alright, right. You’re a clever one kid, I’ll give you that but you don’t know the half of it. I need y’all to hide somewhere and stay there until dawn, that’s when they’ll disappear back to the mines and help can come.”</p><p>“The basement,” says Jessica, “You said you called for help right Ash?”</p><p>Ashley nods but Emily speaks desperately, “No, no way am I hiding away. Sam is out there and if what you say is true she’s in danger and I’m going to get her!”</p><p>“You’re friend will already be dead,” says the Stranger gravely and Emily screams, “She’s not fucking dead! I’d <em>know</em> if she were dead.”</p><p>Jessica tries to comfort her, to calm her down. Emily looks around at the beat up faces of her friends, they’ve all already given up on Sam… And Hannah. She looks to Matt, he looks ill but he shakes his head. He doesn’t think it’s worth it, even for Hannah. Emily scoffs, “Y’all are cowards, I’m going to get her with or without your help.”</p><p>Emily marches towards the door. She knows she’s being unfair, both Jess and Ash have been through a lot more than she has already tonight and both are seriously injured possibly permanently but Emily isn’t in the mood for excuses, even reasonable ones, not when Sam’s life is at stake. She is about to leave when she feels a hand on her shoulder, it’s the Stranger, “Going alone is suicide. Do what I do.”</p><p>Emily doesn’t protest, she’s glad for the help. He hands her a shot gun and they leave the lodge.</p><p> </p><p>Emily feels the cold even stronger now after the warmth of the lodge. She feels so alone and exposed, at least while she was sneaking around in the bowls she felt like she had some awareness of her surroundings. Out here, it’s empty, spacious, she’s vulnerable. She doesn’t talk, she’s not in a very talkative mood. Neither, it seems, is the Stranger. The trudge through the snow in silence, listening for any changes in the woods. There’s a rustle and the Stranger holds out a hand to stop Emily, “Okay, so there are two thing you need to know about the Wendigos, one, the only way to kill them is with fire it burns off their skin leaving them vulnerable, hence the flamethrower and two, their sight is based on movement so if you stay entirely still they won’t see you. I wouldn’t recommend testing it out though, unless you have no alternative.”</p><p>Emily nods in confirmation that she understood. The Stranger moves his arm and they proceed. That’s when they hear a scream it’s Hannah so desperate and filled with tears, “SAM!!!”</p><p>Emily starts, her blood boils. She begins to run towards the sound but again the Stranger stops her.</p><p>“Get off me!” she yells shrugging him off and running towards the shed. The Stranger curses and follows her.</p><p> </p><p>They arrive at the shed and find Hannah on her knees, her back has been scratched up but other than that she seems unharmed. She is staring at a hole in the back of the shed and whispering Sam’s name. Emily stops short at the scene, it doesn’t take a genius to see what happened here. The Wendigo took Sam. It could have taken Hannah but knowing Sam she probably sacrificed herself to saved that Psycho. Hannah cries out when she hears Emily but relaxes when she sees who it, “Em… I’m so glad-”</p><p>“What the fuck did you do to Sam?” accuses Emily pointing the shotgun at her. Hannah cowers backwards, “I didn’t I swear the monster…”</p><p>The Stranger catches up to them and bats Emily’s gun downwards. He glances at the both of them then helps Hannah to her feet.</p><p>“We have to go. We have to go right now,” he whispers urgently dragging Hannah out the door. There is nothing Emily can do but follow. She hears the shriek of the Wendigo nearby and freezes. She can see Hannah and the Stranger a short way in front of her. Hannah is shaking like a leaf, she’s going to give away their position and indeed she does. The Wendigo is in front of her quicker than she could possibly imagine, it’s like the wind. She screams and tries to aim the gun but she’s not quick enough it lunges and her but is soon consumed with flames. The dead body of the monster falls upon her, it’s burning skin catches her clothes and her body feels like it’s on fire. She puts herself out quickly in the snow but not quick enough to avoid being covered in a series of patchy and painful burns. She crawls out from under the body and sees the others waiting for her. She runs past them and hear them following. She doesn’t care about Hannah, this is all her fault so she just runs for the lodge as fast as she can.</p><p>“RUN! RUN! RUN!!” calls out the Stranger. Emily hears the flamethrower engage again and the scream of the Wendigos. A hand grabs her wrist and Emily turns to see Hannah.</p><p>“Getoff! You murderer!” she screams at the other girl but she can see the pain in Hannah’s eyes and Emily realises that if Hannah dies then Sam would have died for nothing. Emily’s tone softens, “It’s alright, we’ll get back.”</p><p>That’s when they hear a horrible squelch and see the Stranger’s head slide cleanly from his shoulders. Emily fights her gag reflex, she’s horrified by just how quickly the monster took the man down and has a new respect for Ashley who has already faced these monsters.</p><p>“Go go go!” she yells to Hannah. The other girl didn’t need much prompting, she turned and ran as quickly as she could, Emily in quick pursuit.</p><p> </p><p>She can see the lodge, Jessica is waiting by the door to let them in. Then a Wendigo jumps out towards Hannah, Emily aims and fires the shotgun causing the Wendigo to go flying backwards but in her focus on hitting the Wendigo, she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going and she trips her ankle cracking horribly.</p><p>“Emily!” cries Hannah running <em>back</em> to help her. Emily hadn’t expected that. Hannah helps her to her feet and Emily leans on her for support, thankful that she didn’t just leave her. They sprint. It’s a clear path to the lodge from where they are, all they have to do is outrun the Wendigos. They get closer and closer but Emily can feel the monsters eyeing them. They are toying with them she realises, they are never going to let them escape.</p><p>“You go!” Emily shouts as she turns to face the Wendigos. She shoots one, two, three before she feels a strong hand pull her backwards. She drops the gun but it doesn’t matter, she’s safe. Jess slams the door and Emily relaxes, Hannah saved her life, twice. She stands up and brushes herself off.</p><p>“Let’s get to the basement,” she says darkly. She sees Hannah and Jessica’s distraught expressions. They may have made it back safely but Sam didn’t. Sam’s gone.</p><p> </p><p><b>Ashley</b> <b>; Old Hotel; 04:4</b> <b>8</b></p><p>Jessica is first to enter the safe room followed by Emily and Hannah. Ashley waits expecting Sam to be just behind them but is horrified to find that she isn’t with them.</p><p>“God, Em… I’m so-” Ashley starts but Emily holds up her hand, her eyes are dry but her intense pain in clear on her face. She walks silently to the side of the room and sits on a table her head in her hands. Hannah falls into Matt’s waiting arms, he embraces her moving a comforting hand to her back. Ashley suddenly misses Chris more than ever she wants someone to give her a hug and tell her it’s okay. Just a quick glance at Jessica let’s her know that she’s not the only one feeling lonely. She’s running her hand through her hair, the hair that Sam had cut less than a half hour ago. Ashley slowly approaches the other girl and puts a soft hand on her shoulder. Jessica looks over at her a grimace spreads across her face as she takes Ashley’s hand and lays her head on her shoulder. Ashley winces in pain and Jessica jerks away, “God Ash, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“No, no it’s nothing… It’s just- it bit me,” says Ashley. Hannah suddenly pulls away from Matt and turns to Ashley, “It bit you? What bit you?”</p><p>Ashley suddenly feels sick, the legends say that the bite of the Wendigo can cause the receiver to become susceptible to possession by a Wendigo spirit, “The- the Wendigo.”</p><p>The environment suddenly becomes tense, as if it wasn’t tense enough already.</p><p>“It- it’s not a big deal, we can just patch it up, right Ash?” says Jessica obviously trying to sound confident but failing miserably. Ash shakes her head, “Oh no, no, no no no no. I- This- No.”</p><p>She begins to pace like a trapped animal, clutching her stomach. She feels awful, but not in the way she expected. She is covered in deep cuts and bruises but she feels no pain, her head doesn’t hurt but her mind feels foggy, more than anything she feels trapped and her stomach hurts.</p><p> </p><p>Hannah and Matt exchange a look. Ashley knows what they are thinking, she’s thinking it too.</p><p>“Guys no! Snap out of it!” yells Jessica, “Y’all can’t be serious…”</p><p>Everyone looks towards Ashley, she feels on the spot and begins hopping from foot to foot, her anxiety levels rising.</p><p>“I don’t know Jess…” says Matt, “Em and Hannah only just escaped from the Wendigos… Did anyone wonder how bookish Ashley managed to fight them off?”</p><p>Hannah nods in agreement and it’s clear that Jess is considering what they said. The room goes silent again, someone has to do something.</p><p> </p><p>Ashley acts, she grabs Jessica’s gun from a nearby table. Everyone gasps and moves away, Emily is suddenly alert and paying much more attention to the events. Ashley rests the gun gently against her skull. Emily get slowly to her feet and stands in front of Ashley. She’s emotionally destroyed, you can tell from her face and she can’t take another hit. Ashley never thought she’d live to see the day when Emily pleaded for anything but this day has been a strange one.</p><p>“Ash. Ashley, you- I can’t take it. Please- You’re one of my best friends and- I can’t…” Emily stammers. It’s heart breaking to see Emily like this, strong powerful Emily Davis, “Give me the gun Ashley. I won’t let you do this to yourself- to us. You’re scared- you’re just scared. I- I get it, I’m fucking terrified but it’ll be even worse if you’re not here with us- with me.”</p><p>Emily holds out a hand to her. Ashley’s shaking and tears are falling from her remaining eye. She is scared, she’s more than scared. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, she’s going to hurt them- she’s going to kill them. She tightens her grip on the gun and watched Emily flinch like she expected to hear the sound of the gun shot.</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you,” says Ashley her voice shaking. A part of her mind is screaming at her to stop, it’s loud, overwhelming, maybe monstrous. Could that be the Wendigo taking over? She can’t listen to it, she can’t trust herself.</p><p>“Please Ashley. I promise we won’t let anything happen to you- we won’t let you do anything. Just hand me the gun and we can talk about this,” says Emily. Ashley shakes her head.</p><p>“Give me the FUCKING GUN ASHLEY!” shouts Emily tears pouring down her face. She thrusts her hand out to Ashley and she almost hands it over. Emily is powerful, her voice is powerful, her emotions are powerful but it’s not enough. Ashley takes a deep breath and then smiles a sad and pained smiles, “No, it’s too dangerous.”</p><p>Ashley prepares herself for death as she pulls the trigger.</p><p> </p><p>Time slows. Matt covers Hannah’s eyes while burying his own head in her hair, whispering to her quietly. Jessica cries out in horror but can’t seem to tear her eyes away from the scene. Emily looks furious as she slaps her square in the face. The impact is much harder than she expected causing her to double over dropping the gun to the floor, the bullet ricochets lodging itself in a backpack.</p><p> </p><p>Time returns to normal as Emily grabs the gun from the ground and moves it far from Ashley’s reach. Jessica basically pounces on her grappling her to the floor. Ashley feels Jessica’s weight on top of her, she isn’t heavy but in Ashley’s already weakened state it’s enough to knock all her strength out of her. It hurts, her body hurts and blood pours from every split.</p><p>“Get away from me!” she screams pushing Jessica away. She cowers in the corner hiding her face from the still furious Emily. She feels a strong hand land on her good shoulder pulling her to her feet. She turns to face Emily who slaps her square in the face. Hannah gasps.</p><p>“Em!” says Jessica is shock. Ashley watches as Jess takes Emily to the side and tries to calm her down, Hannah and Matt are glued together as if they could never separate. Ashley holds her face where she has been hit. For some reason those slaps hurt more than any of the much more serious injuries she has gained over the course of the night.</p><p> </p><p>Deciding that intervening is probably not the best plan, Ashley wanders towards the strange backpack that the bullet lodged itself in. She pulls it onto her lap and begins to look through it. It’s full of all sorts of survival equipment, rations, water pouches, and a whole bunch of clues.</p><p>“What is this?” she asks the room, still not looking at anyone.</p><p>“It’s the old man’s bag, the flamethrower dude,” says Jessica, she’s trying to make her voice sound conversational but it’s obvious that the trauma of the night is really getting to her.</p><p>“Is this the sanatorium?” asks Ashley, showing Jessica a map. Jess nods, “I was down there when I was- After Mike… It was weird like there was this cover up and these miners- They knew the mines were a death trap but they made them work anyway.”</p><p>Ashley nods in agreement, it matches up with what she saw during her time in the mines, “It’s crazy how much shit’s gone on up here. It lives down there, in the mines.”</p><p> </p><p>The two of them fall into silence both of them have nothing more to say, they just want to hide away until dawn when they’ll be rescued but Emily is having none of it. She stands up suddenly and turns to face Hannah, “We’re not fucking staying here waiting for that monster to come down here and tear us apart. You’ve got the key right, we can get outta here.”</p><p>Hannah looks ill as she shakes her head.</p><p>“What do you mean you don’t have it? Who has it?” asks Emily her voice trembling with fury and terror.</p><p>“S-sam… I tried to make her run- I. Sam’s got it,” whispers Hannah and Emily throws her hands in the air, “Alright fine. I’m gonna go down there, I’m gonna get that key and I’m gonna get Sam and Chris and Mike and we’re all gonna get down this godforsaken mountain safe and sound and no one is gonna get hurt.”</p><p>Emily sounds insane with desperation. It hurts Ashley to see Emily like this and it strikes her that she was like that only moments previously only no one is going to stop Emily, no one can but maybe she can help her, “You can’t go alone, it’s too dangerous.”</p><p>Emily isn’t stupid, she knows that she’s putting herself into unnecessary danger, “Fine, fine. You come with me, that way if you do turn into a monster you won’t hurt anyone.”</p><p>Ashley agrees, she’d much rather be as far from the others as she can be just in case, it does hurt that Emily doesn’t count herself as a person who could be potentially injured- or killed. Emily grabs the gun from the floor as she walks towards the door.</p><p>“Jess, stay here and watch those two psychopaths. We’ll be back soon, with the others, stay safe okay?” with that Ashley and Emily leave the safe room.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jessica; Old Hotel; 04:51</b>
</p><p>Jessica doesn’t want the others to leave. She doesn’t want to be left alone with Hannah and Matt, not because she believes they will hurt her but because she suddenly feels alone. They have each other but without Emily and Ashley, Jessica is on her own. She understands why they wanted to leave her behind, her body is smashed up even worse than Ashley’s but still they seem like they could do with someone with a bit more of a level head. She almost laughs out loud at the idea that she, Jessica Riley, is the most level-headed of the group.</p><p> </p><p>Matt and Hannah are sat in the corner of the room, Matt has his arm around Hannah’s shoulders and they both stare blankly into thin air. It’s not really fair, despite them being the reason they’re in this mess, neither of them is seriously injured and have probably been through the least shit of all of them. But when Jessica thinks about it, from some perspectives, some may say that it is all her fault, she was the one who came up with the prank that got Josh and Beth killed. Others could says it’s Ashley fault for being jealous of Josh. Still more people could say it’s the fault of Josh himself for overreacting and running into the woods. And for the first time since the incident last year, Jessica feels like she understands.</p><p> </p><p>She looks up at her friends, yeah her friends, Matt and Hannah and speaks, “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>That takes them both by surprise. Jessica elaborates, “I understand why you guys did what you did and I know the others do to. I mean it was a bit extreme but…”</p><p>She trails off and there is silence again.</p><p>“No, Jess… God, you weren’t there. It was awful- what we did, inexcusable,” says Matt shaking his head but Hannah quickly jumps to his defence, “It wasn’t you Matt, I used you. You let me use you and I went so far- and Sam, she didn’t deserve any of that.”</p><p>“I should have been there,” says Jessica.</p><p>“What do you mean?” asks Matt.</p><p>“It should have been me, the target for your prank,” Jessica takes a deep breath before confessing to the worst mistake of her life, “It was me, the prank on Josh, it was all my idea. Then Em and I pressured Ashley- She didn’t even want to do it. We made her.”</p><p>There is silence again but the tension is gone. Hannah stands up and takes Jessica’s hands, “Don’t say that Jess. It was a prank, no one was supposed to be hurt. We should have dealt with this together because in some ways it was the fault of all of us, it just depends on your perspective…”</p><p>Hannah returns to Matt and Jessica leans her head against the wall. She’s right, they’re all guilty. After another short moment of silence Jessica slowly edges towards the others and is warmly welcomed into their embrace.</p><p> </p><p>The journal is found by accident, Matt bumps his head on the table and it falls into his lap. He opens it curiously, Hannah and Jessica look over his shoulders to read the page.</p><p>“It’s information on the Wendigo…” says Matt as he quickly scans the pages.</p><p>“Says says here that because they are mutated from humans they can perfectly mimic out voices,” says Hannah a small tremble in her voice, “How creepy is that?”</p><p>“And here, the bite… It’s-” Jessica almost stops speaking, “It’s not infectious, Ash’s going to fine!”</p><p>She and Hannah share a glance as Matt rereads some of the other entries. He gets to his feet, “Shit, shit shit shit shit shit. We have to get to Em and Ash… Like now!”</p><p>The others spring to their feet.</p><p>“Wait why?” asks Hannah.</p><p>“They don’t know what they’re up against. From what it says in here there might be hundreds of them- And Em doesn’t know Ash isn’t going to change. I’m sure it wasn’t just me who thought both of them seemed a little unhinged, if Ashley does anything abnormal or…” says Matt as he grabs his jacket and the axe from the corner of the room. Jessica understands what he is saying and he’s right, there’s no telling what could happen on this mountain.</p><p>“Alright, let’s go.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Ash and I feel bad for writing this...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 9: Relations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Emily; Sanatorium; 05:03</b>
</p>
<p>Emily pushes open a heavy metal door ushering Ashley through before locking it behind them. This must be the sanatorium that Jess was talking about. Emily wrinkles her nose, she’s not quite sure how someone like Jessica managed to cope in this environment. She wants to get out of here as quickly as she can.</p>
<p>“Okay, let’s go,” she says to Ashley as she begins to explore up the corridor hoping to find a way up to the surface and out of the god damned tunnels. Ashley is more jumpy than she, every shuffle sends her heart rate up. Emily feels sorry for her, she had to spend so much time alone in the mines in real constant danger unlike the her, she was never really in trouble until now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Soon enough they find a staircase, Ashley lets out an audible sigh of relief when the cleaner more animated air of the mountain surrounds them. It’s strangely cool, as far as what Jessica said, the sanatorium was in remarkable condition but it seems a lot can happen on this mountain: there is a large hole in one of the walls and the place is even more wrecked than they had expected. They find a torch which Emily lights then passes to Ashley, “They don’t like fire, you might be able to use that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They continue their sombre journey, not speaking, hardly breathing. Both of them are expecting to be jumped by a Wendigo at any moment. A rustle makes Ashley squeak, Emily feels the younger girl grab her hand. Normally she would have let go with a snort but instead she squeezes her comfortingly and they continue, not letting go.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another rustle, Ashley hides behind her and Emily readies her gun. A wolf appears from the darkness, it doesn’t seem aggressive and it’s much better than a Wendigo. Emily lowers the weapon as the wolf drops something by her feet, Jessica’s hair.</p>
<p>“Eww! Gross, gross, gross!” says Emily backing away.</p>
<p>“What? What is it?” asks Ashley sounding alarmed.</p>
<p>“It has Jessica’s hair,” says Emily it sounds to stupid, after all they have seen, after everything that has happened. Ashley obviously sees the funny side, “Jess’ hair? The hell? She didn’t… I mean I saw she cut it-”</p>
<p>Emily laughs at pats the now clearly passive wolf, “Who knows what goes on in Jessica’s head sometimes. Whatever, it seems she managed to get us an ally. Is that right Wolfie?”</p>
<p>“Wolfie?” asks Ashley. Emily shrugs as she begins to follow the wolf, “I just think that’s what Jessica would call a random friendly wolf.”</p>
<p>“Not like Harold? Or Bernard?” says Ashley. Emily almost pees herself laughing, “The fuck did you get those names from? Come to think of it, if it had been you I might have guessed George or something.”</p>
<p>“Well what would you have called him?” asks Ashley in mock annoyance and Emily smiles but she doesn’t reply.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wolfie seems to be directing them through the sanatorium and though Emily is sceptical at the reliability of a wild animal, she’s not sure of a better plan. They enter a large outdoor area with a fence through it, preventing them from crossing. Wolfie slips through a gap and barks to get them to follow him. Emily judges the height and width of the gap, she could get through there but it would be a struggle, Ashley on the other hand won’t especially in her current state of health. She makes her way towards a gate. It’s jammed closed.</p>
<p>“Hey help me with this?” she asks Ashley and together the pull the old gate open, it cries out making a loud creaking sound before snapping in Ashley’s hands causing her to jump backwards having cut her finger. She gets over it quickly and they chase after Wolfie who is getting further ahead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They go down a set of stairs a come face to face with the torn up corpse of another wolf. Wolfie whines and shuffles back, his head bent in sadness.</p>
<p>“Was it a Wendigo?” asks Ashley. Emily nods, “I can’t think of anything that would have hung the poor thing out to dry.”</p>
<p>Emily notices an open door to her left, it has large scratch marks indented into the tough metal. Inside the room, which looks like a cell there is a message from an inmate crying out for help. Emily shivers, could they have been holding people in here, watching as they lost their minds and succumbed to the Wendigos? Nothing else could have beat up the place like this or scratched into the solid walls with such ease. Emily traces her hand over the wall, imagining the people who had to suffer that fate. She glances at Ashley who is standing by the door, obviously too nervous to enter the room. Could that be happening to her right at this moment? Emily shakes her head, it can’t be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She pushes Ashley gently to the side as she leaves the room in quite a hurry, “Come on, let’s go. I don’t like this place.”</p>
<p>Ashley nods in agreement and trots after her. They stop when they hear the shriek of a Wendigo.</p>
<p>“They can’t see you if you stay totally still,” whispers Emily. Ashley doesn’t move but she knows she heard her. Emily flicks her eyes around the large room searching for the monster. A can rolls and falls, Emily aims her gun expecting to see a Wendigo looming out from the dark but there’s nothing. She takes a deep breath and readies herself to move again but just as she does a Wendigo jumps at them from the ceiling screeching murder. Emily moves fast as lightning shooting it and grabbing Ashley by the arm, “Let’s run.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Together they sprint down a nearby corridor.</p>
<p>“Wait, where’s Wolfie?” asks Ashley in a panic. Seriously, she’s thinking about the stupid wolf right now? Emily doesn’t grace her with a reply preferring to concentrate her energy on fleeing. They come to a fork, Emily pulls them through a door on their left and slams the door. The two of them quickly barricade the door. A Wendigos hand punches it’s way through the top of the door grabbing Emily’s arm. Ashley yells as she brings a rock down on it’s arm causing it to let go. Emily nods at her in thanks as they run from the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The room opens up into a large eatery furnished with long tables. Wolfie appears from under one of them and Emily smiles, she <em>is</em> glad to see the animal. Another screech sends them ducking behind a counter. They can see a bearded monster standing a top a table, it’s sweeping gaze searching for the slightest movement. He still wears battered mining clothes, it’s horribly humanising reminding Emily that this monster was once a person. A person who found himself in a desperate situation, one which lead him to become the horror they see before them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A bottle rolls and falls from the table smashing on the ground grabbing the Wendigo’s attention. Ashley darts out of their hiding place, Emily close behind. The Wendigo pounces but Emily manages to shoot it allowing them enough time to get through another door. They lock it and find themselves out of the frying pan and into the fire. The corridor is lined with iron barred cells, each with a Wendigo screeching and clutching at the bars, reaching their long limbs out trying to grab and kill them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wolfie walks bravely ahead as Emily and Ashley hold hands, warily making their way after him. A hand grabs Ashley’s foot and Emily pulls her away with a shout. They try to hurry, dodging the Wendigos </span>
  <span>as </span>
  <span>they</span>
  <span> go. They turn a corner and a Wendigo jumps at them, Emily instinctively shoot it before realising it is chained up, she’s almost out of bullets.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Shit, fuck fuck!” she curses as they continue now running. Ahead of them, they can see the outside Emily wants nothing more than to sprint for that fresh air but she can see Ashley is flagging. </span><span>Two unchained Wendigos seem to appear from nowhere.</span></p>
<p>“<span>Come on Ash!” she shouts. She yanks Ashley’s arm shoving her in front as she turns pushing a barrel of flammable liquid towards the Wendigos, Wolfie barks menacingly as Ashley coaxes him through the door. Emily shoots the barrel and runs, slamming the door behind her as they hear the screaming of the dying monsters. Emily had hoped that they would be outside and is disappointed to discover than they are still caught within the stone walls of the sanatorium, the roof open to the sky. </span><span>She hurriedly barricades the door and follows Ashley who has slipped down a hole. They try to get Wolfie to follow them but he refuses, this is as far as he will go.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Alright, there’s an exit up there,” points Ashley and they jog towards it but before they can get it open another Wendigo appears.</span></p>
<p>“Shit! How many of these fuckers are there?” complains Emily as she aims the weapon. Ashley is trying desperately to open the door but it won’t budge. Bang! The Wendigo goes flying backwards but another is already taking it’s place. Emily has no time to fire again before it on top of her. Fear shoots through her as she feels the Wendigo’s claws bite into her forearms. Bang! Bang! Ashley shoots the monster, sending it flying backwards. Then one of the barrels causing a massive explosion which blows the door open. Emily feels the heat wave over her, it hurts, it hurts bad. She’s dragged out into the snow but the shock mixed with the rapidly changing temperatures makes her light headed and she quickly loses consciousness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Chris; Mines; 05:16</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chris has been wandering around in the dark for hours </span>
  <span>and it’s getting old. At first he called out to Ashley, hoping to hear her </span>
  <span>
    <span>chipper</span>
  </span>
  <span> voice through the darkness but no such luck. As much as he wants to find Ash, he is still really really pissed at her. She fucked around with his emotions so much. She basically confessed to being a murderer at the same time as sorta telling him that she loves him and sacrificing herself to save him. It’s not fair, it’s not fucking fair. They have to talk about it, that wasn’t the last conversation they’ll have. Shit she’s probably alone and broken down the bottom of some mineshaft, she needs his help. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>ASHLEY!” he calls again, his voice hoarse. </span><span>There is still no reply. Chris is beginning to wonder whether he’ll ever find his way out of this hell hole, Matt’s already dead could he be next? He remembers seeing Emily, she was already blood splattered when she sent him and Ash to get help, something else is going on here. There was that Psycho who knocked them out in the lodge and Beth’s voice. God, Beth… </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There is a sudden crashing sound from above his head, the whole place seems to shake dislodging rocks. Chris jumps out of the way and the passage behind him is blocked.</p>
<p>“Fuck, fuck… What the hell?”</p>
<p>Chris doesn’t ponder the cause long as he finally gets a reply.</p>
<p>“HELP! Argh!” it’s Ashley. The sound of a human voice after all these hours is a wonderful feeling, even better it’s Ashley. She’s alive! Chris runs after the sound.</p>
<p>“<span>I’m coming, I’m coming Ashley!” </span><span>he throws caution to the wind as he sprints through the tunnels. It’s as if he has suddenly become stronger, faster. Potential mortal peril does that to a person. Ashley screams, she’s in pain. Chris runs faster. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chris slows as he enters a small </span>
  <span>room. Ashley’s voice is coming from a locked trapdoor, she’s banging on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p>“Wait there Ashley, I’m gonna get you out!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He opens the trapdoor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Jessica; Tunnel To Sanatorium; 05:16</b>
</p>
<p>Hannah is driving her crazy. Even if she ignores the fact that she tortured half their group, Hannah is still almost unbearable. How the hell did Sam ever put up with her? Maybe if we hadn’t gotten her siblings killed… Jessica really tries to feel sympathy for her and she does, truly she does but now really isn’t the fucking time!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Hey, guys… I don’t think- I can’t,” says Hannah, she looks so afraid. That’s the last fucking straw.</span></p>
<p>“Emily and Ash don’t have time for this bullshit!” says Jessica harshly as she turns round to the struggling girl, “We need to go!”</p>
<p>Hannah looks at her pleadingly, “Please, just a little-”</p>
<p>“Ugh, fine but I’m going ahead,” says Jessica. Matt looks like he wants to protest but he doesn’t. A wise move on his part because Jessica would have torn him to shreds.</p>
<p>“Be careful Jess,” he says and he hands her the axe, “You might need this.”</p>
<p>Jessica accepts it and stalks off. Seriously, those two are in almost perfect health especially in comparison to her and they are the ones who stay back?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jessica is alone for the first time since the incident in the sanatorium. She doesn’t like to be alone because it gives her thoughts time to race without other people to keep her grounded. She remembers this tunnel well, despite being pretty out of it when she was here last. She’s relieved when she comes to the doors which lead into the sanatorium’s basement, she’s almost at the surface but to her horror the doors a locked. Ashley and Emily must have locked them behind them. Fuck. Jessica looks around for another way in and finds a manhole with it’s lid loose.</p>
<p>“Well there’s no other way to go,” she says trying to sound confident. She levers it open with the axe handle and makes her way down, stopping to draw a small arrow in case the others ever actually follow her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hears a call as she climbs down the ladder and freezes. It sounded like Chris. Jessica shakes with fear, the Wendigos can mimic human calls… There’s a Wendigo and all she has to defend herself is an old axe. She almost goes back but she knows that Em and Ash need her so she takes a deep breath and keeps going. She is careful, always alert and ready to freeze at the first sign of trouble. She hears the sound of pounding feet. That’s odd, she’s pretty sure Wendigos can’t make mimic humans that well. She hears a scream, that’s Chris. It might really be Chris and if it is then he’s in trouble. </span>
  <span>Jessica doesn’t know what to do, she’s torn. Chris might really need her help but it might be a Wendigo preparing to rip her head off, literally. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A bright flash of red light illuminates the tunnel. She’s certain Wendigos can’t do that. Jessica makes up her mind and runs towards the light.</p>
<p>“CHRIS!” she shouts. If it is Chris, then he’s been missing for hours and probably has no idea what he is up against. She bursts into a room, Chris struggles to his feet. He seem in a daze, the body of a Wendigo is splattered against the wall but it’s twitching. Chris is frozen in place, a small flare gun in his hand. It’s pointed straight at the monster.</p>
<p>“Ash? Oh god… What the fuck?” he whimpers. He’s not going to move, he’s not going to run. Jess isn’t even sure if he knows she’s there. It doesn’t matter, Jessica knows they have to get the hell outta there and they need to go quick.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She grabs him by the wrist, “Come on Chris! We have to go!”</p>
<p>“Wait? The fuck?” he’s so confused. Jessica almost envies him, he hasn’t seen the half of it. She drags him along, he doesn’t have the strength to fight her which is saying something since she’s so weak.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few minutes of running, Chris finally seems to regain some control. He easily breaks Jessica’s gasp and steps back. Jessica doesn’t protest, they’re probably far enough away and she couldn’t keep running even if she wanted to. She falls heavily to the ground. Chris runs to her side, he seems to have only just realised who she is.</span>
</p>
<p>“Jessica?” he says, “God, what happened to you? What was that thing?”</p>
<p>“A- a Wendigo,” says Jessica out of breath. Chris’ face turns to pure terror, he has obviously heard of a Wendigo before, “Like the cannibalistic monster?”</p>
<p>Jessica nods, “I- can explain, we don’t have time. Em and- and Ashley… They’re-”<br/>“Ashley! Is she safe? God, please tell me she’s okay,” his voice sounds so desperate, so hopeful. Jessica struggles, “She’s with Em… She’s not- dead. We need to get to them, they don’t know… It’s bad. And Sam, it took her.”</p>
<p>Jessica fights all her instincts as she gets back to her feet and begins to stumble along the tunnel, Chris seems to have understood at least some of what she said and is supporting her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their progress is slow but it gives Jessica some time to better fill Chris in on the situation. He takes the story at her word, never doubting what she says is true. Somehow that frightens Jessica, what world have they found themselves in that her story is believable or sane? </span>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>specially to someone like Chris. </span>
  <span>He doesn’t even ask questions. They arrive at a cliff face, a broken ladder leading towards the ceiling and the outside. </span>
</p>
<p>“There’s no way I can get up there,” confesses Jessica. Chris shakes his head, “I don’t think I can either, I’ve never been good in climbing class… We’ll just have to fine another way round.”</p>
<p>His voice is filled with determination, he’s not giving up and neither is she.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They search for another path and soon find one that slopes upwards. Chris keeps her going, he is almost carrying her by this point. Every time she slips he helps her up. She and Chris have never been close, she was always so busy with Emily and Mike’s nonsense and Chris was just so nerdy. </span>
  <span>In fact, she’s always had the impression that he doesn’t really like her. Their personalities just don’t mix that well. Yet, here they are, together in a hell hole. Each a lifeline for the other. Both of them so motivated by the same thing; saving their friends and they will save them. They will. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Matt; Tunnel To Sanatorium; 05:26</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t’s been a while since Jessica left. Matt’s worried about her, he shouldn’t have let her go alone. He looks at Hannah, she’s better than she was. He understands better than anyone else how bad this past year has been for her. Sam really tried to keep an eye on her but when it came to it, Sam was in no state to be looking after anyone after the incident </span>
  <span>so the task fell upon him. He took it up gratefully he really wanted to help Hannah but in the end he just made everything worse. He’s such a pushover. He’s not going to be a pushover now.</span>
</p>
<p>“Hannah, we need to go find Jess. She might be in trouble.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t give her time to respond, he knows she is his weakness. Instead he pulls her to her feet and helps her get her balance as they begin to follow the path.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They come across a set of double doors, locked. But an arrow has been drawn on the ground, Hannah suspects it’s a Wendigo trap but Matt knows better, it’s Jessica. She left them a sign to show them the way. Hannah takes a little coaxing to get her down into the mine but eventually he succeeds and they stand together in the darkness.</p>
<p>“Alright, what next sugar cakes?” asks Hannah, “Ready to be ripped apart by Golem?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Matt tries to ignore her negativity, she’s always been a bit of a pessimist. Instead he just takes her hand and ventures deeper into the caves. Although neither of them have ever confessed their feelings for the other, it’s pretty clear that they are basically in a relationship and they are much more comfortable with in than say Chris and Ashley. Hannah’s warm hand is comforting. </span>
  <span>A Wendigo’s shriek sends Hannah into his arms, he’s getting properly nervous now. It strikes him that he probably should’ve been nervous already but he’d been repressing it in order to keep his head on straight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Help me,” </span><span>Hannah </span><span>whispers. She’s</span><span> shaking, he needs to be strong for her. He’s never really subscribed to the damsel in distress idea having always had the utmost respect for women. But Hannah isn’t like Sam or Emily, she’s much more timid and she really needs him now but what she doesn’t know is that he needs her just as much as she need him. </span></p>
<p>“<span>Come on, we have to keep going,” he says but he doesn’t let her go. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Wendigo sounds fade and Matt feels Hannah relax a little. He loosen her grip on her and they move, a scream echoes around the tunnels. Matt doesn’t have to look to know the Wendigo is there. Instead he starts to run pushing Hannah in front of him. He truly thinks they are going to die but he tries to keep that thought from the forefront of his mind, instead concentrating on keeping Hannah moving. Hannah is fast so is he, they are both top athletes and both of them are in decent physical condition. There is a chance they could survive this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Hannah trapdoor!” Matt calls as he notices the hatch in the floor. He hopes that they could lock it and protect from the Wendigo that is toying with them. Hannah seems to understand where he is coming from, she flings it open and both of them half climb half fall into the darkness below. It locks behind them, lucky. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Ashley</b>
  <b>; </b>
  <b>Mines</b>
  <b>; 05:</b>
  <b>35</b>
</p>
<p>Ashley leans heavily against the door. She’s panting, Emily is surprisingly heavy. She looks down at the other girl, she’s a mess. Her clothes are singed, her body is covered with burns that Ashley did her best to cool. She seems alright though, she’ll surely wake up soon. As if on cue, Emily stirs and sits up.</p>
<p>“Em!” says Ashley, “Thank god…”</p>
<p>Emily pushes her away, fury on her face, “You fucking blew me up you bitch!”</p>
<p>That was not what Ashley had been expecting, she’d almost forgotten that Emily is a mega bitch.</p>
<p>“<span>Excuse me? I saved your life,” says Ashley and Emily gives her such a look that she almost cowers, “</span><span>Maybe you could have given me a little warning? You know so I didn’t get totally burnt up!”</span></p>
<p>“It was killing you!” yells Ashley, she really doesn’t know what is going on but she can feel her own anger building within her. She’s never actually lost her shit with Emily which is a record since basically everyone else has.</p>
<p>“I had it under control,” croaks Emily a little quieter.</p>
<p>“<span>Oh yeah, I’m sure you did. That thing was going to rip you to shreds. I saved your life and you just can’t take the idea that I’m stronger than you are,” says Ashley looking away, “You’re an ungrateful bitch.”</span></p>
<p>“<span>What did you just say?” asks Emily s</span><span>truggling to her feet.</span></p>
<p>“I called you a bitch, bitch!” shouts Ashley gaining confidence. Both girls have had a hard night and they’ve been trying to hold in their emotions in order that they could get everyone out safely but it seems this was the final straw for Emily and the dams are both broken.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m the bitch? I’m sorry I guess I didn’t understand you correctly when you told your story about the mines… So you did confess to murder and then use it to guilt trip your not boyfriend into loving your ass anyway?” says Emily.</p>
<p>“<span>Murder? It was an accident! </span><span>Y</span><span>ou’d know that, </span><span>i</span><span>t was your fault more than it was mine,” says Ashley, “Maybe your just grumpy because you’</span><span>re</span><span> a rebound.”</span></p>
<p>“<span>At least I had the guts to ask her out,” Emily then puts on her best Ashley impression as she tucks her hair behind her ear, “He’s such a gentleman, he’d never love some like me. Poor cute little nerdy Ashley.” Her voice goes back to normal, “Or are you just scared that you couldn’t satisfy him? Do you want me to help with that? I’ve had more experience with guys than you and I’m a lesbian!”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ashley punches Emily. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Emily falls to the ground, surprised by the sudden impact. She tries to sit up, rubbing her face but Ashley doesn’t give her enough time. She pounces on her and beats her head again.</p>
<p>“Don’t you fucking dare speak about him like that!” she screams, “You’re an entitled brat and it’s about time that someone taught you a fucking lesson.”</p>
<p>She punctuates her sentence with further blows. <br/>“No, please. Stop! Ash. You win, please,” says Emily weakly but Ashley doesn’t hear her, she sees red, she’s totally lost control.</p>
<p>“<span>I should have left you to die in the fucking sanatorium!” yells Ashley. Ashley’s hands are covered in Emily’s blood. </span><span>Emily gave up trying to reason </span><span>with her</span><span> a while ago, she’s just lying there, her eyes closed.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ashley is surprised when she hears her name being called. A strong pair of arms grab her and pull her backwards. Ashley struggles out of their grasp and turns to face her attacker, she is about to throw a punch when she sees Chris. She jumps backwards and suddenly realises what she’s done. She cowers in the corner holding her hands as Chris and Jessica help and Emily to her feet.</p>
<p>“She’s a psycho! A fucking PSYCHO!” she yells pointing at Ashley. Jessica looks confused and keeps her distance, still holding Emily back but it doesn’t seem that Emily wants to get any closer. Chris on the other hand starts to approach her.</p>
<p>“Ash? Can you hear me? Ashley?” Ashley stays back, “Stop Chris, stay away. I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry Em, I’m so so so sorry…”</p>
<p>
  <span>Chris doesn’t stop, he keeps his slow steady approach and she eventually finds herself in his arms. She’s not going to hurt him, she can’t believe what she did to Emily. Sure she was being a bitch but she didn’t deserve you to beat into the ground. Chris is whispering something to her, she can’t hear him but she can tell his tone is soft. She doesn’t deserve him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A bashing on the door to the outside makes them all look up. It’s a Wendigo, Ashley knows it’s a Wendigo. When is breaks though, they’re all gonna be toast if they don’t make a plan and fast. Chris springs to his feet dragging Ashley along with him, they look at the others. Emily grits her teeth and nods, the little known Emily sign for a truce.</p>
<p>“We need to get back to the lodge. I left Hannah and Matt in the tunnels…” says Jessica. Chris nods Ashley’ll go wherever Chris goes. It seem like they have a plan but Emily doesn’t budge.</p>
<p>“I- I can’t Jess… I need to find Sam, I won’t leave her down there.”</p>
<p>Jess seems to understand, “Come back safely Em.”</p>
<p><span>She gives her friend a hug and a kiss on the head. It’s cute in a way, Emily wouldn’t let anyone else do that to her, except</span> <span>Sam. </span><span>Ashley feels herself being directed away from the door, she glances back at Emily. She had offered to accompany Emily to help her and she’s just made it all so much worse. She’s a terrible person and a terrible friend.</span></p>
<p>“<span>I’m sorry Em,” she says. Emily doesn’t look at her but she sees her nod her head slightly, at least she heard her.</span></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're getting to the end of this crazy thing. I hope you're enjoying!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 10: Acceptance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Mike; Mines; 06:10</b>
</p>
<p>“Mike!? Oh my god, Mike. Wake up! Please, shit.”</p>
<p>Mike stirs, his body hurts but it’s nothing compared to the headache which is piercing through his skull.</p>
<p>“Jess?” he says, his voice is raspy and destroyed. He manages to open his eyes. Where the- what the actual fuck? He’s surprised to see Sam and not Jessica leaning over him. She looks a mess but not half as bad as he feels. He tries to sit up but Sam stops him, “No, don’t move. Just, wait there for a sec. I need to explain.”</p>
<p>Too right she needs to explain. Mike remembers next to nothing of what happened to him. He remembers being in the cabin with Jessica and then… Nothing. He knows something happened how else would he end up in the almost pitch dark with Sam of all people?</p>
<p>“Am I having like a really weird stroke?” asks Mike ignoring Sam’s warning to stay still. He instantly regrets it, his head spins and he falls back down to the ground, “Jesus, hot chocolate… I must have drank a lot huh?”</p>
<p>“What?” Sam sounds confused, “No, jeez just listen to me…”</p>
<p>Mike interrupts her again, he laughs, “You sound funny, are you okay Sam? Ooooh lemme guess, we had sex and we’re hiding from Emily!”</p>
<p>“I wish,” Sam grumbles. That’s when Mike realises how serious there situation must be. Sam would never cheat on Emily and facing her wrath would be worse than anything he can imagine. Even more importantly, Sam would rather have sex with <em>him</em> than whatever is going on here. Something is very very wrong. He stops laughing and waits for Sam to continue, “You need to listen to me. I don’t care if you believe me or not. Doesn’t matter because you will.”</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>hat doesn’t sound like Sam, not at all. Although he can’t </span>
  <span>make out</span>
  <span> her </span>
  <span>expression</span>
  <span> he knows she is smiling as she battles a wave of intense trauma.</span>
</p>
<p>“There’s something here, in the mines. A- a creature. A Wendigo, I think Ash called it. It’s a spirit, a monster…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sam’s voice trails off as if she is struggling to, or doesn’t want to, understand what she is saying. Mike feels a wave of pity for Sam. They’ve known each other a long time, they weren’t </span>
  <span>always </span>
  <span>friends </span>
  <span>exactly</span>
  <span> but they lived on the same street growing up </span>
  <span>and they spent a lot of time together</span>
  <span>. He’s always admired and respected Sam and saw her almost like an older sister on occasion, someone who would put up with his </span>
  <span>shit but also keep him in line. In all that time, he’d never seen Sam in such a state. She’s so brave, so strong. She’s had be through a lot in her life; her mother’s illness, looking after her younger brothers, homophobic abuse, Josh and Beth… And yet each time she had stood up and faced her issues with unwavering stubbornness. So to see her like this, it’s devastating. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He forces himself into a sitting position, pain shoot through him but he ignores it. He reaches out for Sam’s hand. She doesn’t protest when he takes it and squeezes comfortingly.</p>
<p>“<span>Sam, it’s gonna be okay- It’s gonna be fine,” Mike has never been good at comforting people and in this situation he doesn’t really believe a word he is saying. </span><span>He hears Sam take a deep breath, she’s trying to bury her feelings; that’s very like Sam.</span></p>
<p>“<span>You don’t have to do that Mike. I just-” there’s still an unmistakable shake in Sam’s now much more composed voice, “</span><span>We need to get out of here. I don’t really understand what’s going on, it got me before we could figure it out. It could come back. Do you think you can stand?”</span></p>
<p>“I- I think so,” lies Mike as he makes an attempt to get to his feet. He uses Sam for support, his body still screaming, “What could come back? The- the, uh, Wendigo?”</p>
<p>
  <span>He sees Sam nod as his eyes become more and more accustomed to the dark. His surroundings are strange, they’re in a cave but it show unmistakable signs of human activity. Mines, is what Sam said, probably the same mines </span>
  <span>that he and Jessica found himself in earlier that night. Jessica, god… </span>
</p>
<p>“Is- is Jess here? Is she okay?” asks Mike.</p>
<p>“She was alive, last I saw her,” says Sam, her voice is flat, “She said you died. I thought… I was so scared Mike. I- I’m glad you’re alive.”</p>
<p>They thought he was dead? He glances back at Sam, her eyes are focused straight ahead. He doesn’t want to push her any further so he allows her to half carry half direct him towards what he hopes in an exit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a short time, it becomes clear that Sam has no idea where she is going. </span>
  <span>He had hoped she had come looking for him and knew a direct way out but apparently not. What happened to her? Suddenly they hear a faint trickle of water, that’s new. They move as fast as Mike can manage towards the sound. Suddenly the ground underneath them changes, it crumbles and Mike slips into a small hole. It’s not deep and Sam easily pulls him out, it’s stills strange though. A small piece of metal digs into his side and he picks it up and Sam hoists him back to his feet. Once he’s got his balance he rubs the metal, it’s a pendant. Josh’s pendant. </span>
</p>
<p>“God, Sam… Look at this,” he passes it to Sam.</p>
<p>“This must be his grave…” she says, her voice lacking all emotion.</p>
<p>“His grave?” asks Mike alarmed. His body was never found, how could he have been buried? Sam goes on to explain what Ashley had found in the mines. Dread fills him as she tells her story, Beth survived… At least for a while. They looked for her at all this time she was trapped in this horrible stone prison. Mike shivers, it’s an awful fate concluding with death.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sam obviously doesn’t want to brood on it so they continue. He tries to ignore his pain which is worsening the further they go. </span>
  <span>Sam trips and Mike falls along with her. She curses loudly as she reaches for whatever it was that tripped her. Mike gets there first, it’s paper… He examines it, Sam looking over his shoulder. A makeshift journal, Beth’s. Sam takes it from his hands, her emotionless face filling with sadness and pain. She reads it out loud, “My brother is dead. The fall killed him… I watched the </span>
  <span>
    <span>color</span>
  </span>
  <span> drain from his face. My leg is broken. I’m all alone, stuck her with his body. Someone’ll come. Sam won’t give up on us even if the others do.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’ve never been so HUNGRY. I should have eaten more at that stupid party. It feels like my stomach is twisting around inside me. Josh let me use his sweater, it’s not like he needs it any more. He’s still looking out for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’m sorry Josh, I’m so sorry. I have no choice. I’m DYING. I want to survive, I want to get out of here. But, if someone finds this, I’m sorry… There’s no other options. I had to. Forgive me. Josh…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My hands feel unclean. My nails fell out, PUSHED OUT. I am aching but no more pain… No cold. I’m getting stronger. I’m still alive.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam stops speaking as she turns to the last page. Then she begins to mumble under her breath, something about savagery and base instincts. Mike reaches out to her and take the papers from her hand.</p>
<p>“Sam, Sammy? You still with me?” he asks. Sam’s head snaps up, she instantly stops speaking.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, yeah… It’s just something Ashley said. It’s nothing,” she says after a few seconds, “We have to keep going. There’s no point worrying about this now.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Mike knows it’s not nothing, </span>
  <span>“Come on Sam. Do you really think I believe that nothing is going on here. What are you thinking? It’ll help to get it out.”</span>
</p>
<p>“It’s just, Ashley said… I don’t know, just something about spirits and possession and stuff. And when I saw that creature, the one that dragged me down here. I thought-” Sam fights off tears, “I saw- round it’s wrist… Beth- It- I-”</p>
<p>Sam stops but Mike gets the idea. His stomach knots, he feels a mixture between disgust, horror and guilt building inside him. He shudders, wishing he hadn’t asked.</p>
<p>“Right, uh, we have to keep going. I don’t think I’m gonna last much longer. We can think about that later okay?”</p>
<p>Sam nods.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They make their way to the edge of a small lake. Mike hesitates as Sam slips in but he follows quickly after her. It’s deep, he’s a little worried it’s going to get to deep for Sam but it is good support for his injured body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A scream grabs their attention. Mike’s head flies up and in the darkness a shape looms.</p>
<p>“<span>Get away from me!” </span><span>that’s </span><span>Emily. Sam’s obviously heard her too. There is a splash as the shape lunges at something. Emily screams again and Sam runs forwards, there is nothing Mike can do to stop her. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Get the FUCK away from her!” screams Sam as she careers towards the monster. Mike sees Emily’s outline through the dark and begins to make his way towards her.</p>
<p>“<span>Oh my god, Sam!! Get away! It’s gonna kill you,” sobs Emily. Mike arrives at her side, his anger and hate for her </span><span>set aside given the circumstances. They watch as Sam distracts the creature from their position. </span></p>
<p>“Em, Emily! Get out of here! Take Mike and run. Please run!” shouts Sam. The Wendigo grabs her head and Emily almost shrieks but Mike clamps a hand over her mouth, there’s not point in all three of them dying. There’s a gasp, a splash and then silence as the Wendigo disappears. Emily struggles from his grasp panting in furious grief.</p>
<p>“<span>Sam! God no… SAM!!” she calls out. Mike’s own eyes fill with tears, Sam can’t be gone. She can’t be dead. The monster, if it’s Beth- If any of it is still Beth… Beth wouldn’t kill her. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Matt; Mines; 06:14</b>
</p>
<p>They’re almost at an exit, Matt can feel it. After a while walking around in the dark flinching at every sound, they are almost there. Hannah knows it too, he can her excitement building. They thought they were going to die, they really did but they’re going to survive. They’ll go back to the lodge and Jessica will be waiting for them with Ashley and Emily, maybe even Sam. It’s got to be almost dawn, Ash said someone will come for them at dawn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But what then? He doesn’t want to think about that. What he and Hannah have done… It’s terrible, it’s evil and it has already cost Mike his life and maybe Chris. It was just a prank, right? Matt tries to push those thoughts from his head and focuses on their escape.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hannah begins to run when they see the moonlight shining into the mouth of the cave. Matt is right behind her, they are so lucky. Lucky to be alive. They stand together on a ledge, the lodge isn’t far from here. Hannah takes his hand in both of hers as they both breath the wonderfully clean air.</p>
<p>“<span>We did it Matt! Everything’s going to be okay,” Hannah says joyfully as she begins to half walk half slide down the slope towards the lodge. </span><span>Matt smiles and nods but he thinks that Hannah might be jumping the gun a little, nothing about what has happened today is ever going to be ‘okay’.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He says nothing as he follows her. She’s so childish and innocent, like she has forgotten everything she has done. How did a person like her come up with all the horrors that they put their friends through? Matt doesn’t know, he really doesn’t.</p>
<p>“Hannah,” he says as he grabs her hand, she turns around to look at him confused. He grasps her hand and looks into her beautiful gleaming eyes.</p>
<p>“Hannah, I- I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t stop you… And it- it’s not going to be okay, not for us. We did something bad, really really bad and Mike died. No one will believe us bout the Wendigos. Do you know what I’m trying to say Han?” Matt feels instantly guilty as Hannah pulls her hands away from his, her face showing anger and sadness but also a hint of acceptance, “I know Matt. I know. It won’t come to that, we’ll sort this all out with everyone. They’ll forgive us, it’s the Wendigos not us. This isn’t our fault.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hannah turns away, Matt let’s her get a little ahead. He’s not sure how he feels about what Hannah said. He knows that they didn’t mean to hurt anyone and that all the actual damage was done by the Wendigos but still in this one night he has watched two of his friends almost shoot themselves in the head, he’s seen panic and real fear on the faces of people who trusted him. How can he possibly forgive himself? How can he possibly believe that none of this is his or Hannah’s fault? After all they have done, it’s not possible. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Emily; Mines; 06:24</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily manages to drag herself from the icy water, helping Mike do the same. She’s numb and not only from the cold. </span>
  <span>She hates Mike, she really does but for some reason that hate won’t manifest itself. It’s unusual for Emily, usually her emotions are strong and very in control of her action but not right now, she can hardly feel them at all. It’s probably a coping mechanism, it works as well, if she wasn’t suppressing her emotions she’d probably be dead. Floored by the grief at losing Sam. Instead she is helping Mike, Mike who she hates. She doesn’t want him to die, Sam asked her to look after him and she will. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She helps Mike to his feet. He’s shivering, his legs are hardly strong enough to hold his weight. He’s pitiful. She puts Mike’s arm over her shoulder so she can support him as they make their way through the mines.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mike seems to have less of a damper on his emotions, he is crying, unable to speak, hardly able to breathe. Every so often he whimpers or stumbles and each time Emily can see him giving up, losing it but each time she picks him back up and drags him along. He’s not going to die, not on her watch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A Wendigo’s screech echoes towards them and Emily freezes, it’s going to kill them. She tries to hurry up but Mike is really struggling.</p>
<p>“<span>Come </span><em>on</em><span> Mike!” she says pulling him along as she attempts to break into a run but he just can’t do it. Fuck, fuck, fuckitty fucky fuck. </span><span>She looks for options, she can’t run, it’ll get Mike and he won’t stand a chance.</span></p>
<p>“In here, hold still,” Emily commands as she drags Mike behind a wooden wall. She almost stops breathing, the Wendigo investigates the place they were standing a fraction of a second earlier. It’s screech is so loud she almost flinches. A painful ringing begins in her ears. It’s only a few seconds but it feels like hours. She stays as still as she can, she can hear Mike’s quiet breathing next to her. They hear as the Wendigo scuttles away, Mike almost falls forwards but Emily catches him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They wait in silence for another few seconds before moving again. Emily yanks Mike along behind her. She’s running and basically dragging Mike on behind her. He grunts in pain but still can’t seem to find any words. The Wendigo screeches behind them. Emily’s heart is in her mouth. She freezes, she could run ahead, save herself but she glances at Mike and she knows she can’t. Sure she hates him but what she does here decides whether he lives or dies and she isn’t willing to leave him to die, she’s not that bitter. That leaves one other option. She charges at some wooden boards which break under her weight. She’s surprised to find herself outside and at the edge of a cliff. She almost slips but Mike grabs her. They share a grateful glance but it’s not long lived. The Wendigo is right there. Emily shoves Mike behind her to a wider section of the cliff and stands, her back against the wall. The Wendigo’s head is right next to hers, she would be able to smell it’s breath if she was breathing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It screeches again, pain shoots through Emily’s head as if her sound has stabbed her but still she doesn’t move. If she moves, she dies, Mike dies. Then it leaves. The Wendigo disappears back into the darkness of mines leaving Emily and Mike hundreds of feet in the air at the edge of a deadly cliff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mike slips to the ground and Emily crouches down next to him. He closes his eyes, unable to stay awake. Emily sees beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He’s boiling. She shuffles along the ledge trying to find somewhere with a little more space. There’s an alcove. She drags Mike’s unconscious form into the small shelter and lies him in the recovery position. She has no idea what to do. </span>
  <span>Mike is shivering and sweating, thrashing about but there is nothing Emily can do but stop him from falling to his death. She knows he won’t survive long. She takes off her jackets and wraps it around him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She’s alone with her thoughts, she’s never felt smaller or less significant in her life. She still hates Mike but having seen him like this, she can’t seem to muster any strength from it. Without her strong emotions Emily is nothing. She thrives on a system of non forgiveness or at least it takes her a long time to get over anything. It stops people from crossing her. She makes a judgement of a person and sticks to it until she has proof otherwise and even then it takes time for her to change her view. And yet, Mike who she hated only hours before hand she has now risked her life for multiple times. She saw his grief at losing Sam, it mirrored her own but he was able to express it. In some ways she’s jealous of that, she wants to grieve but she can’t. Not yet. They’re not safe yet, she needs to keep her head on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Chris; Washington Lodge Basement; 06:36</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>J</span>
  <span>essica mumbles something about Hannah and Matt. Chris knows he should be worried about them, they were supposed to be here and they’re missing but he’s not listening. Ashley is lying on the floor, slumped against the wall. Her breathing is husky almost like a growl. </span>
  <span>She has a makeshift eye patch over her damaged eye, the bite wound on her shoulder is oozing with orange fluid, her shorts and tights are ripped showing extensive damage to her legs. The wound in her head that she got way back on the fire tower is still bleeding. Chris wants nothing more than to go over to her, to hold her in his arms. But he can’t. Although he doesn’t want to admit it, he’s afraid. He’s afraid of </span>
  <em>her</em>
  <span>. He saw what she did to Emily, it wasn’t pretty. How could his Ashley ever do something like that?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e watches Jessica limp back and forth. It’s obvious she is in pain but there is no chance she’ll stop. She’s too nervous. They all are. Ashley begins to rock backwards and forwards still seemingly unable to speak. It’s painful to watch. All he knows about his incident is what Jessica told him before they found Ash and Emily. He knows Matt and Hannah were </span>
  <span>
    <span>pranking</span>
  </span>
  <span> them, he knows that they are being hunted by Wendigos and that’s about it. He doesn’t know if he wishes he knew more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He begins to drum his fingers against the table top, adding to the symphony of Jessica’s footsteps and Ashley’s rocking. They each need to the sound, need the movement. Occasionally Jessica will send him a glance and she’ll smile. Jessica has an amazing smile, </span>
  <span>it lights up her entire face. She just oozes charisma and confidence. Even now that she’s been broken down to rock bottom and beyond, she still manages to radiate that aura. Chris makes a mental note to get to know her better if they get off this mountain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There is a scratching sound like claws against stone. Chris stops tapping just as the shriek hits them. The Wendigo, it’s down here with them. He and Jess spring into action. They drag Ashley to her feet and they all run for the door. Where will they go? Chris lets Jessica decide and they begin to make their way up towards the lodge.</p>
<p>“GO GO GO! RUUUN!” Jessica yells. Chris’ eyes go wide when he spots Matt and Hannah, they’re alive! They both heed Jess’ warning and turn and run. Chris stays back a second to lock the door before following the others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He reaches the great room and freezes, a large Wendigo is hanging on the weird ceiling ornament. His eyes flick around the room, everyone is still there standing as still as statues. Another shriek grabs the Wendigo’s attention and it pounces on a smaller creature. It throws it’s body to the ground but not before ripping it’s head clean off it’s shoulders and chucking it at Hannah. Hannah ducks causing the Wendigo to spot her.</p>
<p>“<span>Hannah!” screams Matt as he runs towards her. Those two are going to get them all killed. Chris thinks fast, he chucks a small piece of rubble across the room grabbing the monster’s attention </span><span>and taking it away from Matt and Hannah. He looks around for Ashley and Jessica and sees Jess lurching across the room towards a light bulb. Ashley points to a gas leak caused by the body of the smaller Wendigo. Chris nods his understanding of their plan. He need</span><span>s</span><span> to get Matt and Hannah out of there. Matt seems to have other ideas however, it’s a good job to. He shouts out to the Wendigo as it approaches an oblivious Jessica. They all freeze as it turns to Matt. Hannah takes her chance and sprints for the door. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jessica smashes the bulb. Another Wendigo appears from the upper floor and the large one jumps at it. It doesn’t seem to discriminate between humans and other Wendigos. Jessica gives him a look before escaping herself. He isn’t far from where Ashley is standing. She seems frozen in fear or at least she should be but the expression on her face is different, a cocky confidence that is so unlike Ashley it’s almost eerie to see it on her face. He doesn’t have long to ponder what she is planning as the body of the Wendigo smashes through the stairs burying him under rubble. He screams out in surprise and pain. The large Wendigo sees him thrashing about and makes it’s move on him. That’s when Ashley move, fast as lightning she jumps at the creature.</p>
<p>“ASHLEY!!” he screams through tears, it’s going to kill her. A pair of strong arms grab him and help him out of the rubble, it’s Matt. He runs towards the door, Chris can’t escape his grasp.</p>
<p>“<span>No! We can’t leave her! We can’t!” he screams at Matt but he isn’t listening. </span><span>He looks back at Ashley and the Wendigo. She lunges at the monster, it seems surprised to be attacked in such a manner. Did Ashley seriously just </span><em>bitch slap</em><span> a fucking Wendigo? </span></p>
<p>“<span>How’d </span><span>th</span><span>at feel ya FUK!” screams Ashley as she runs towards the door. The creature almost reaches her but she manages to hit the switch incinerating everything inside. There is a deafening wail as the creature turns to dust and smoke. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blast throws Chris, Matt and Ashley away from the building and towards the others. When Chris looks up he sees Ashley standing looking at the carnage. She wipes away the blood that is trickling from her mouth, a smirk playing on her lips. </span>
  <span>She’s smoking slightly, it reminds Chris slightly of Veronica Sawyer at the end of Heathers. Then Ashley’s legs give out and Chris lunges to catch her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She feels so small and weak in his arms but he knows it’s not true. Ashley saved them all by </span>
  <em>bitch slapping the Wendigo</em>
  <span>… What a legend. Chris smiles at that thought, for all they’ve gone through he’s glad his smile muscles still work. </span>
  <span>Jessica crouches beside him, her arm on his shoulder. There’s a sadness to the weight as they watch the sun rise, Mike is still missing. </span>
  <span>Matt and Hannah join them, both of them look awful and so guilty. </span>
  <span>Jessica welcomes them into a group embrace </span>
  <span>and the f</span>
  <span>our of them sit looking at the burning building. </span>
  <span>The sound of a helicopter above them is the most wonderful sound any of them have ever heard. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <b>Emily</b>
  </span>
  <span>
    <b>; </b>
  </span>
  <span>
    <b>Cliff</b>
  </span>
  <span>
    <b>; 0</b>
  </span>
  <span>
    <b>6:53</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Exhausted, </span>
  <span>Emily hugs her legs as she looks out over the scenery, </span>
  <span>suddenly a bright light can be seen through the forest. It’s the lodge, it’s on fire. She stands up and squints through the rising smoke, the sun shines through. It’s dawn! It’s finally dawn! Emily looks back at Mike, he’s been still for a while. His body is still burning hot, his breathing is getting shallower and shallower, he needs help and soon. Someone will find them. </span>
  <span>She spots a large shadow through the smoke, it’s a helicopter. She cups her hands around her mouth and calls out then waves frantically hoping someone will see her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She watches as people are picked up into the chopper, that means at least some of the others are still alive. This revelation fills her with a sort of odd joy, even if they die here they’ll be people to tell them where to look for their bodies.</p>
<p>“HELLO!!! HELP!” she screams but the helicopter turns, the others picked up. They are leaving without them. This makes Emily so angry.</p>
<p>“No you fuckers! We’re here! We’re alive! Mike is going to die so get your butts the fuck back over here and pick us up!” she screams.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A helicopter does find them and when it does Emily is grateful. A rescuer comes down on a rope and smiles at her. Emily doesn’t know how to react, she hadn’t thought about what she’d say when someone found her so she just points to Mike.</p>
<p>“Help him,” she says. She’s not quite sure what happened after that, it’s a blur but she finds herself in a small room in the police station in Blackwood Town totally alone. There’s a small TV showing the weather and basic furniture. They’ve given her warm clothes and quickly tended to her wounds. Apparently Ashley broke her nose… She suddenly finds herself wondering whether Ashley made it, she hopes she did. Despite everything Ashley is her friend and now that Sam is gone she’s going to need all the friends she can get.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Someone had to go... </p>
<p>This is the last chapter but there is a very short little tiny interviews section to round it off.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Interviews</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>I</b><b>nterviewer</b>: So you were with Ashley when she called for help?</p><p><b>Chris</b>: I was.</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: And she seemed normal at that point? Is there any chance she was involved in the attack on you and the rest of your friends?</p><p><b>Chris</b>: What? No! Of course not!</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: But you also said the actions of Matt and Hannah seemed out of character. How can you be certain that Ashley wasn’t also involved?</p><p> </p><p><b>Jessica</b>: Mike… He- uhhh, he fell- Chased by- and… If I’d been a little faster.</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: We recovered Mr Munroe, he’s alive.</p><p><b>Jessica</b>: Oh my god! Please, I need to see him… I’m his girlfriend and- What about Em? And Sam?</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: Emily was with Michael, there is still no sign of Samantha.</p><p> </p><p><b>Matt</b>: (in tears) It was meant to be a prank- After last year… For revenge- No one was supposed to get hurt…</p><p> </p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: So Sam wasn’t involved in the prank that caused your siblings to go missing?</p><p><b>Hannah</b>: (shakes head)</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: So why was she a target of your prank this year?</p><p><b>Hannah</b>: (looks away from the camera guiltily and says nothing)</p><p> </p><p><b>Ashley</b>: You can’t let me go… Please… I didn’t mean to beat her- It’s as if- No… It’s in my head! IT’S IN MY HEAD!!</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: What’s in your head?</p><p><b>Ashley</b>: The spirit, the Wendigo. The one that killed us- You have to shoot me… Please.</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: I’m going to need you to calm down, you’re safe Ashley.</p><p><b>Ashley</b>: NO! No no nono no nono…</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: (into communicator) I need some help up here!</p><p> </p><p><b>Emily</b>: Yeah, yeah she did. It’s not her fault, she was scared and I was being a bitch. Just please tell me she’s okay? And Jessica? I need to see them… Please- And Sam? You found her right? She’s okay?</p><p> </p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: But she blew up the lodge?</p><p><b>Chris</b>: She saved us all!</p><p> </p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: I’m going to have to place you under arrest Mr Taylor.</p><p><b>Matt</b>: (nods) I know, I know… Just, can I phone my parents?</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: Alright.</p><p> </p><p><b>Hannah</b>: Sam came to get me from the shed but it was too late- They were everywhere… She told me to run and- She’s my best friend…</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: And that’s when you were found by Emily?</p><p><b>Hannah</b>: And the Old Man, the Flamethrower Guy. He- he didn’t make it…</p><p> </p><p><b>Jessica</b>: There were like saws above their heads… Sam had a gun and she shot herself but it was filled with blanks- I thought- I thought they killed Mike… That’s why she was in the shed.</p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: Why not Matt?</p><p><b>Jessica</b>: Matt… He didn’t mean it- He’s very easily manipulated, used… And Hannah- She’s been a little unhinged, well since Beth and Josh…</p><p> </p><p><b>Interviewer</b>: Where did you last see Samantha?</p><p><b>Emily</b>: In the mines! They’re in the fucking mines. The others will tell you the same. You need to go down there, please bring her back... </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So yeah, that's it! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!</p><p>Edit: I wrote an ending for Sam, it's the next story in the series, 'Until I Die'!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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